Former Leading Edge members are working to re-open the gym under new management! The new gym will retain the friendly, community atmosphere, top-notch facilities and classes we loved at affordable prices! Thanks to some members willing to become larger shareholders, we are ready to move forward. We wish to recognize with affection and gratitude all the friends who have been willing to sign on as members and all those who kindly volunteered to personally invest in the Gym Project. Thank you!
I am concerned about rates for students. Will there be a discount again? Also, will membership for new members still include one consultation with a trainer? Finally, as a student, I know that I will be gone for a summer internship. Can I put my membership on hold during that time?
ReplyDeleteHi Susan and Anon,
ReplyDeleteSusan, I will forward your question on to Irv Rhodes, who is the in charge of this operation.
Anon, The last I heard, there was not a student discount available during the start-up phase, but that there might be a little farther on down the road.
Will there be an option, if enrolled in the basic membership, to take classes ad-hoc for a pay-per-class fee? I'm not usually interested in classes, but every once in a while might want to take one.
ReplyDeleteI really liked that there were classes at 10:30 am. Will there be trainers available? Do we know where to send checks yet? What does charter mean? Thanks, Kristin Elise Barber
ReplyDeleteI know Irv has said that the previous situation will be recreated as much as possible, but no details as fine as these have been ironed out.
ReplyDeleteChecks are not being accepted yet.
Charter investors give money to own stock in the new gym, rather than a "registration fee" like at other gyms. You are also allowed to just pay a monthly membership fee, unlike at other gyms.
Will there be childcare? It's a must-have for our family.
ReplyDeleteYes, there will be childcare!
ReplyDeleteIt seems like membership as of 12-7-10 is not what anyone expected, I think we were expecting more. Will there be any advertisements in the local papers and media outlets after the holidays to get folks to sign up?
ReplyDeleteI know there are many out there that I would like to contact but like most people there I only knew their first names. TomZ
I'm not comfortable giving my info here, although I would be interested in rejoining. I expected more information and discussion here to assure potential members that this is for real. Is there another site with details about how the financial burdens left from the previous owners could be overcome? It's hard to believe it's possible, and if it is possible, why couldn't Joanne DeLong do it?
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment! The good news is that there is NO financial burden left over from the previous business. None. We are not buying the business, only taking over the space. Rest assured that the business model works, and past failures seem to have to do with fighting between partners and poor management rather than actual numbers. Rest assured that information entered into the sign-up form is confidential. Know also that no money is being requested yet, and that funds received will be returned if the goal is not met.
ReplyDeleteI can also assure that the reason Joanne DeLong and Peter Earle could not make it work was their complete inability to act as adults/business partners instead of selfish children. It has always been very obvious to the former employees that there was some shady business practices going on. I am quite sure that this new business is not anything like the former Leading Edge.
ReplyDeletePlease be sure to contact our teachers. It was unfair that they were without jobs without notice and part of what made the gym so wonderful was the personality and quality of our teachers...
ReplyDeleteI assume everyone was required to pay the first month and last month gym dues--like I did, when you joined the Leading Edge. Does anyone know if we will get our last month gym fee back? My gym fee was $30 per month.
ReplyDeleteHwei-Ling Greeney
Unfortunately, since we are not in any way connected with the Leading Edge, there is nothing we can do about any money lost with them.
ReplyDeleteAs parents who paid for their student to have a gym membersip, only to lose it when the gym closed (with no refund), trust is a significant issue. As much as she needs a gym, and as much as she enjoyed the clean, well-equipped facilities, we would be more comfortable paying monthly (sans first, last, and enrollment fee. Would this be possible?
ReplyDeleteThanks_
Hamp Mom
As a student I appreciate the new fee structure but worry that now we will need even more members to meet the monthly expenses?
ReplyDeleteAlso, the fees seem very close to the ones in place when the LE closed so I wonder what we will be doing differently to be successful?
Hi - Wanted to say hi and hope that the little "community" or friendship feel that popped up around Zumba classes will come back. I've been in touch with Medo and tried to contact the other teachers but don't know what they are up to. I wonder if in the meantime the Zumba enthusiasts could find other classes to meet at - I know of a couple and am newly licensed to teach myself. (I"m not advertising a class here - I teach Zumba kids in my school only now). But if Zumba people wanted to still meet up in the meantime, there is a 9:30 Sunday class for $5 at Amherst Ballet on Strong Street in Amherst with Zulma Rivera, (a former member and newly licensed Z teacher) and Medo (Olmedo Gomez) told me a few weeks ago that teaches at 9 am Monday mornings in the JCA on 470 Main st Amherst, also for $5. Email me please if anyone wants their contact numbers or to try to meet for Zumba as a community before this gym re-opens. Thanks! - Leigh. (p.s. I"m the one that usually had the two little ones in child care & went often Friday mornings and sometimes Tues / Thursday evenings - only made a Sunday morning once - there was no child care then) Leigh Salvage, Amherst, MA, ZumbaLeigh@gmail.com http://112035.zumba.com/
ReplyDeleteAbout the fee structure:
ReplyDeleteThanks for your interest! We are delighted to be able to roll out this great new pricing. In answer to your question, the initial financing of the gym isn't really dependent on the monthly membership prices, but rather on the total number of members signed up to be Charter Shareholders. The Charter Shareholders will be a mix of smaller ($50-$100) shareholder investors and larger shareholder investors.
Thanks again, and hope you can join us in creating this new kind of gym!
Many thanks to the team of professionals who have been working so diligently to re-boot our community fitness center. Let's take all the good elements we experienced at the Leading Edge and leave the rest behind. Let's show our support as a team of great members with open hearts and minds.
ReplyDeleteEvery time I try to "Sign up as a potential member" I get redirected to this page. I want to sign up! I want this gym! I don't want to have to go back to Planet Fitness :-(
ReplyDeleteHow do I sign up?
Hi there,
ReplyDeleteSounds like the sign-up form is not loading for you...it's part of this page and should show up (after a second). I believe it's a flash form, so you might need to down load Adobe Flash Player. If problems persist, email me directly and I will sign you up! shr157@hotmail.com
Volunteer Taskforce
Thank you to all the people who are putting this together! Living on a tiny fixed income, I would only be able to afford the charter fee if my former membership fee was refunded by Leading Edge as they promised in the letter. I paid for a year and got Madoffed. Does anyone know how I could pursue this? The DA's consumer protection office told me I'm out of luck and on my own. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for your efforts to open a new gym in the familiar space. I would like to make one suggestion when you begin operation: no music or other piped-in sound. I am a former member of Leading Edge and I used to wear both earplugs and noise-canceling headphones to block out the music played on the gym floor. I would much prefer no piped-in sound so that each person can listen to her/his individual iPod or whatever device. I would certainly switch from Planet Fitness to the new gym if it offered me the expectation of peace and quiet while I exercise. Thank you for your consideration.
ReplyDeleteAre there any updates now that ABC has received approval?
ReplyDeleteI am going to break down and join planet fitness because I need more exercise but can not afford hampshire athletic.
There must be room for a mid-market gym in this area, no!?