NOTE: I can only speak on the gym and not the rest of the arena itself.
The gym's name is now Get Fast LLC, a franchise under the Athletic Republic (AR) umbrella. According to the AR website, Get Fast offers "individualized sport-specific training programs designed to enhance athlete's speed, power and agility to gain more than just a step on their competition."
The gym's focus of effort is the specialized training to local high school athletes, to improve their individual strength and speed. It's just a good place to get a work-out in and fortunately has avoided becoming a social club like so many other gyms have nowadays.
SERVICE: Service is average, nothing notable here. The staff is fairly friendly, although they can seem absent sometimes. When you walk in, don't count on seeing someone at the door to greet you, which really isn't a big deal to me at least.
All of your billing concerns are addressed in house, so you don't have to worry about any corporate phone menus either.
LAY-OUT: Get Fast gutted the old gym, laying down a new floor, re-painting the walls and installing new flatscreen TVs. The old track that went around the gym has been removed, which doesn't matter considering all the cardio machines nearby.
Additionally, the machines are spaced appropriately so that you won't feel crowded at all. It's pretty easy to get around in here. If you're big on mirrors in your gym, this probably isn't the place for you. There are mirrors on only one side since the other side of the gym overlooks one of the ice rinks.
EQUIPMENT: Get Fast kept all of the old gym equipment from the last owners and its still in good working condition. You won't find every machine your heart desires here, but there still are plenty of machines for every major muscle group and two sets of dumbbells to get your work-out done. There also are plenty of treadmills, elliptical machines and stationary bikes if you're a cardio hound.
The equipment appears to be much more well maintained than in the past as well. The water fountains are a little old, but still work just fine. If you're paranoid about your drinking water, you may want to bring your own jug or water bottle.
LOCKER ROOM: Get Fast offers a small locker room that gets the job done. You can bring a lock or store your belongings in a locker without a lock at your own risk. Lockers are free. You can also just hang up your coat on the small rack right after you walk in for no charge. There are also showers, a decent size bathroom and an area with sinks and a weight scale. The bathrooms could be cleaned a little more often. From what I can tell, they're only cleaned about once a week.
MUSIC: If you're an iPod-free guy like myself, then the music thats playing can definitely matter. While you're always welcome to bring in your iPod, the music here can get stale. For the past 3 months, it's usually the same mix of classic rock and alternative, which can get old after awhile. A little variety wouldn't hurt, so if you're big on music, you should bring your iPod or just get used to it.
COSTS & MEMBERSHIP: Get Fast is definitely affordable. If you commit to a year-long membership, its only $34 a month and you get the 13th month free. If you join under a family member's membership, its only $25 a month. DISCLAIMER: The rates are subject to change so don't quote me on 'em. Ask the Get Fast staff about rates.
Membership within the gym is currently low, presumably due to the economy. However, depending on what time you work out, you probably won't have to worry about any crowds (especially in the mornings). The other people who go to this gym are friendly and normal, ranging from teenagers to middle-aged guys. You won't find any crazy meatheads or douchebags screaming and chugging protein shakes here (at least not yet, knock on wood).
SUMMARY: I would recommend the Get Fast gym. Its affordable, has the equipment and the recent renovation has dramatically improved what was a deteriorating structure. I can't speak on the 1-on-1 specialized training for athletes, but the gym itself is very reasonable and gets the job done. read more