Leisure Media Issue 3 2009 - Leisure Opportunities

African centre accreditedExercise Training and Sports Academy(eta) in South Africa has signed up tobecome the first approved centre in thecountry to be accredited by health andfitness awarding body Central YMCAQualifications (CYQ).The agreement follows a 10-day visitby the CYQ Business DevelopmentTeam to South Africa in March as partof the UK government’s Passport toExport scheme.“Because of the international profileof the 2010 FIFA World Cup, hosted inSouth Africa, the government is focusingon developing skills, particularly inthe fitness industry,” said Lori Randall,CYQ’s business development manager.As well as accrediting the SouthAfrican centre, CYQ has approved afurther 54 training centres in the UK,Galician club forHolmes PlaceHolmes Place Iberia opened its latestclub on 15 May. Located in the city of ACoruña, it’s the chain’s first club in theregion of Galicia, north-west Spain.Facilities at the 3,200sq m clubinclude a fitness suite supplied by StarTrac and Life Fitness.The pilates studio offers Peak Pilatesequipment, while the group exercisestudio is equipped by Aerobic &Fitness and Tecnosport. Personal trainingis also available.Situated in the Dolce Vita shoppingcentre, facilities at the new clubalso include a stainless steel swim-The scheme is part of government strategyIreland and Italy and issued nearly39,000 certificates in the past financialyear – a 5 per cent increase year on year.The health club includes a poolming pool, a solarium, spa pool andTurkish bath, and a restaurant. There isalso free parking for members. Details:www.holmesplace.comRussian Fitness Groupopens first luxury clubRussian Fitness Group (RFG)opened its latest World Class healthclub – the 19th in the chain – in StPetersburg in April.Located on Krestovsky island, it’sthe operator’s first luxury club. Builtover three floors, the 3,800sq m clubhas an 800sq m gym with almost12m-high ceilings.Facilities include group cyclingand martial arts studios, both ofwhich have panoramic windowslooking out over the embankment.There’s also a pilates studio, twogroup exercise and personal trainingstudios, a kids’ club, doctor’ssurgery, café and boutique shop.RFG operates more than 42 fitnessclubs in 11 cities of Russia.Hersheypark opensBoardwalk expansionHersheypark, in Hershey,Pennsylvania, has unveiled itsUS$17.6m (£11m, 12.6 euro)expansion. The project comprisedthe expansion of the park’sBoardwalk area, which opened in2007, and is called The Boardwalk:The SEAquel.The work included the installationof The Shore, a 378,000-gallonwave pool and the IntercoastalWaterway, a 1,360ft lazy river.The area also features a changingarea, lockers and a restaurant,as well as 27 cabanas that can berented out. The new attractionshave replaced the former CanyonRiver Rapids, which were in placefrom 1987 until last August.Wellness lifestyle concept launchThe new Henry Ford West BloomfieldHospital in Michigan, US has launchedwith the inclusion of a complementarywellness facility called Vita.The 8,000sq ft (743.2sq m) facilityhas been created primarily to servepatients, their families and the communityand combines wellness and preventativecare. Providing a model foraffecting positive change in healthcare,Vita – which is named after the Latinword for life – contains programmescreated for sustained wellness. Allintegrative therapies, programmesand classes have undergone a rigorousreview by a committee comprisingHenry Ford physicians, scientists,nurses and other healthcare professionals,to ensure that the experiencewithin Vita is both safe and suited topatients’ needs.Creative Spa Concepts consulted onVita, and was responsible for shapingits individual services - includinghealth coaches, acupuncture, TCM andbeauty therapies for cancer sufferers.The centre focuses on wellnessISSUE 3 2009 © cybertrek 2009Read Leisure Management online leisuremanagement.co.uk/digital 7