Unlike the other post-secondary schools in Ottawa – Carleton and Ottawa U – Algonquin doesn’t offer its Fitness Zone membership as part of the tuition.
When the Fitness Zone first opened in January 2003, Algonquin’s Woodroffe campus had chosen the route to not include the membership in the tuition.
Eric Savage, manager of athletic operations, says that in the future it might change, but not right now.
Savage has been at colleges where the membership is included in the tuition and he feels like students were giving money away without even knowing it.
“The membership is not included in the tuition just because we give the students the choice if they want to choose our gym or not,” said Mia Pacheco, client service associate at the Fitness Zone.
While that may be the case for the college’s Woodroffe campus, for Perth students it’s free. The Students’ Association charges no fee for students who attend Algonquin’s Perth campus.
The SA keeps the gym open for students and once you show a student ID, you’re able to use the gym freely.
Lindsay Woon, first-year police foundations student, believes it should be included in everybody’s tuition because it’s a great way to release stress and anxiety due to school.
“With all the student fees that we already have, getting a gym membership on top of that it’s kind of a lot. Especially when you’re young,” Woon said. “I go to Fit4Less, so I have to go on a bus to get there and it’s not really convenient.”
When she first arrived at Algonquin in her orientation, she was told “the police foundations students, the paramedics and the firefighters got gym memberships included” but that has not been the case.
For a full-time student to purchase a yearly pass for the gym it costs $300 or $10 for a day pass. Students believe that if it were included it would promote a healthier atmosphere and makes it easier to workout due to its proximity.
With the tuition cut on the way, Savage said the Fitness Zone will not be making changes to their gym membership pricing at this time, but will be re-evaluated at the end of the school year.