On October 16, 2013, GoodLife Fitness opened its first in-airport club at the Toronto Pearson International Airport in Mississauga, Ontario. The 11,000-square-foot club boasts cardio and strength equipment, luggage storage, a lounge area and full-service locker rooms.
David “Patch” Patchell-Evans, the founder and CEO of GoodLife Fitness, spoke exclusively with Club Solutions about the new club and what it means for his growing company.
CS: How excited are you about the Toronto Pearson Airport location?
DP: We are very excited about the innovative location of our Toronto Pearson Airport Club. GoodLife’s purpose is to give every Canadian the opportunity to live a fit and healthy, good life. We recognize that in order to help members achieve their health and fitness goals, providing convenient locations for our members [was] very important.
CS: What challenges did you face in designing/opening the club within an airport, and how did you overcome those challenges?
DP: We have over 300 GoodLife Fitness clubs across Canada in a variety of locations and with a variety [of] layouts. Throughout our 33 years in business, our construction team has acquired a vast amount of experience and adaptability to deliver the highest-quality facilities each time. When we begin building a new location, a major key to success is the cooperation and collaboration between landlord and tenant.
GoodLife Fitness worked very closely with the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) to ensure the location was accessible, safe and successful for everyone involved. Our greatest consideration with this facility was to be sure that the club was convenient for travelers both before takeoff and after landing, while also ensuring that safety standards were on par with the world-class regulations that the GTAA strives for. More specifically, our team ensured that all HVAC, fire alarm and sprinkler systems were integrated with Toronto Pearson and that all construction deliveries went through the proper operational and security approval methods.
CS: How has the club been received so far?
DP: The club officially opened on October 16. The anticipation for the facility has been very encouraging as the hundreds of conversations on social media channels, as well as interest from traditional media outlets, has helped solidify our very positive outlook for the Pearson Airport club. We are very happy with the high-traffic location of the club within Terminal 1, as it will help raise awareness about the club and inspire travelers and Pearson Airport employees to work out regularly. Although this innovative facility is still quite new we are expecting great results moving forward.
CS: What are features/aspects you’re most excited about?
DP: I think that our members will really enjoy the convenience of the secure luggage storage and clothing rentals. We have partnered with Reebok to offer the best in fitness apparel for rent. The club also offers modern change rooms and showers with soap, conditioner, lotion and hair dryers for the convenience and packing of travelers. Additionally, the facility also features a lounge with massage chairs and arrival/departure screens to help people stay on time with their flight schedules.
CS: Now that the first airport location has opened, how do you feel about the possibility of opening another airport location? Is this a viable model for GoodLife Fitness?
DP: We are always looking for new and innovative locations to best serve our members. The GoodLife club at Toronto Pearson Airport is a new model, but one that allows us to continue our purpose of helping people live healthier, happier lives. With over 40,000 employees and approximately 34 million passengers travelling through Pearson Airport each year, GoodLife is looking forward to helping even more people achieve their health and fitness goal and their version of the good life.
As told to Rachel Zabonick
