But gym member Rex O'Brien told councillors that all Bay Venues was interested in was its showcase gym at Bayfair and making money.
''People should not fit the model, the model should fit people,'' he said.
He described how opposition to members losing their little gym had overflowed at two meetings where Bay Venues had got hammered - particularly from older users.
''They did not expect this level of discontent.''
O'Brien said the announcement in May that the gym would close had created a tornado in the area.
He exercised three mornings a week and said members did not want all the bells and whistles of other gyms.
''It is pretty cheap, I will admit.''
A lot of older members were there to keep their bodies going. There were two major retirement villages in the area and the gym had become part of a social hub for a small number of people.
O'Brien was confident the gym could be successful if there was more advertising and more working with the community.
He agreed with councillor Larry Baldock that members could set up a committee to help attract more members. ''It needs someone to get the ball rolling.''
Councillor Steve Morris successfully called for Bay Venues to provide information about what would be required to keep the gym open.
Bay Venues will identify the shortfall between income and how much was needed to have a fully serviced and staffed gym. They would then know how much membership fees had to rise to cover the shortfall.
Morris said the council would then know whether keeping the gym open was within the realms of possibility and could include options like shortening the hours.
''The petitioners made an effort and it deserves a response,'' he said afterwards.
Councillor John Robson said older people may not feel comfortable in gyms with hipster millennials. ''I look forward to the discussions with BVL,'' he said.
The call for more information did not mean that the July 31 closure had been postponed.
