For the last 15 years our club has trained in a school. Luckily for us we've had the luxury of being able to leave our equipment set up, but on the down side, the gym is very small - just enough room for the equipment but we've had to make some compromises such as a very short vault run up, no run up for beam mounts so we are limited as to what to choose and no run up for bars so again, limited to kips pretty much! You also have to pause before you dismount on bars in case someone is running up the vault run - there have been collisions if the coach/gymnasts aren't paying attention!
HOWEVER...
We are moving to our own venue in 2-3 weeks!!!! We've been looking to move for around 5 years now but to no avail. We found an amazing new build which we could have afforded, but sadly the council wouldn't grant us change of use from industrial to leisure.
We have persevered and in August we had a meeting with a councillor who informed us that our district council had changed their policy and were now more concerned with empty units being let, rather than them being let to industrial businesses. We still wouldn't have got change of use on the one we wanted, but we found another - its not quite as large as we'd have hoped, width wise, but it had everything else going for it, so we signed the lease in September and work has begun!!!
There are so many advantages, but I think the thing the gymnasts and coaches are most looking forward to is having a pit! We are having a Gymnova suspended pit, rather than your usual foam pit and we'll have room for a proper vault run up, a tumble track and our full floor area! We'll even be able to have the boys equipment out constantly whereas they usually have to get theirs out every session.
The pit is being dug tomorrow so fingers crossed everything goes well!
Am going to try and attach some pics for you to see!
The Entrance and Parents Waiting Room
We hope to have a second storey extension put on eventually (When we finally have some money again) So that the parents can have a viewing gallery and we can have a toilet, kitchen and party room up there!
The Bars and Pit Area
The big heater is going and we are having nice heating put in and air con!!!
The Beam and Floor Area - The Pile of panels in the corner are insulation for the ceiling so it is going to be nice and warm in there - you can see some of it on the pic above
Exciting times ahead!! Might put some pics of the pit being dug on tomorrow!
HOWEVER...
We are moving to our own venue in 2-3 weeks!!!! We've been looking to move for around 5 years now but to no avail. We found an amazing new build which we could have afforded, but sadly the council wouldn't grant us change of use from industrial to leisure.
We have persevered and in August we had a meeting with a councillor who informed us that our district council had changed their policy and were now more concerned with empty units being let, rather than them being let to industrial businesses. We still wouldn't have got change of use on the one we wanted, but we found another - its not quite as large as we'd have hoped, width wise, but it had everything else going for it, so we signed the lease in September and work has begun!!!
There are so many advantages, but I think the thing the gymnasts and coaches are most looking forward to is having a pit! We are having a Gymnova suspended pit, rather than your usual foam pit and we'll have room for a proper vault run up, a tumble track and our full floor area! We'll even be able to have the boys equipment out constantly whereas they usually have to get theirs out every session.
The pit is being dug tomorrow so fingers crossed everything goes well!
Am going to try and attach some pics for you to see!
The Entrance and Parents Waiting Room
We hope to have a second storey extension put on eventually (When we finally have some money again) So that the parents can have a viewing gallery and we can have a toilet, kitchen and party room up there!
The Bars and Pit Area
The big heater is going and we are having nice heating put in and air con!!!
The Beam and Floor Area - The Pile of panels in the corner are insulation for the ceiling so it is going to be nice and warm in there - you can see some of it on the pic above
Exciting times ahead!! Might put some pics of the pit being dug on tomorrow!
