One of the largest sporting organizations in the city is moving to a new home.
The Estevan Gymnastics Club, which has nearly 250 children from ages two to 17, has been meeting at the Doug Third Hall on the northwest edge of Woodlawn Regional Park for several years.
But now they have purchased a building in the 1200-block of Seventh Street that will serve as their permanent home.
Board member Jesse Mantei said the club has been renting a space for as long as she is aware of, and they have a good arrangement with the park for the hall, because they don’t have to remove their equipment from the building.
Building size is an issue.
“It’s too small for us. It’s only … just over 3,000 square feet, and we need way more space than that. Gymnastics equipment is quite large … but a full gymnastics floor is 42 feet by 42 feet, and we don’t have enough room in the Doug Third building for a full floor, so we have a partial floor,” said Mantei.
The new building will give them approximately 5,400 square feet of gym space.
“It gives us lots of room to grow, and we get a full floor, and we can get more equipment, more beams, more uneven bars. There will be lots of space with lots of room to grow.”
It should be particularly beneficial for the club’s recreation program. They currently have wait lists for the program.
The location of the building was also appealing, thanks to its central location close to the Estevan Leisure Centre. The club believes the location will be more beneficial for families.
“It’s a little easier when you’re running kids all over the place that it’s central instead of being out of town,” said Mantei.
The club gets possession of the building on May 1. Some renovations are needed, and they have to update the building to bring it up to code. They hope to have some programs in there this summer, and to be up and running in there this fall.
They have been able to offer summer programs in there as well.
Mantei pointed out the club is doing some fundraising right now, including bottle drives, steak nights and more, to earn money to purchase a new gymnastics floor. A full floor would cost about $20,000.
“We’ll be able to train our athletes as far as they can go,” said Mantei. “It will give them the opportunity. They will have the whole floor space to do things.
“Once we can expand and we can have more beams, then there’s less wait times for the girls, because you can only have one person on a beam at a time. If we have three beams, then we have less wait times.”
The building is currently home to the Pinoy Grill House Filipino restaurant, which Mantei said will remain and will lease space from the club. The club’s equipment will be set up in the vacant area next to the restaurant.
The club asked Estevan city council to provide a 10-year abatement on the municipal property taxes for the gymnastics club’s portion of the building, which will allow them to pay down the mortgage on the building quicker.
Council approved the request, but noted their decision does not cover the school portion of the property taxes.
