Red tape gives gym parents the blues

Government red tape is strangling the options for Wanganui families to exercise at local gyms.
Late last year, all gym crèches and other "limited attendance centres" had to provide a range of learning opportunities that followed a prescribed curriculum.

It also required gyms to provide one childcare trained staff member for every four children, and provide feedback to parents, including a "sleeping log", and details of the child's interests, and learning activities.

No gyms in Wanganui now provide a crèche facility for children while their parents are working out.

Five gym operators the Chronicle spoke said there was simply too much red tape involved in setting up crèche facilities at their gyms to make it viable option.

Some said there was not enough interest in such facilities or they didn't have the space.
Shed24 Fitness Centre manager Angela Hewson said she had owned and managed gyms in the past that had child-minding facilities, but would not even consider it now.

"It was great, I have owned gyms here and in Wellington, in one we had a huge room for the kids with a couple of people minding them. Quite often they can't get to the gym because there's no one to look after the children."  
 
Mrs Hewson, who's gym is women only, said people used to ask about childcare in her gym, but don't seem to ask much any more.

"I wouldn't even consider having a gym with a crèche now. The only way I would consider doing it is if someone was about to set one up privately, then they would deal with all the red tape."

Club Fitness sales manager Ruben Pederson said with about 2000 members, he had seriously looked into adding a childcare facility, but it wasn't viable due to a lack of space
They were never sure how many children would be in each day either, which made staffing a crèche an issue, he said.

Ucol Fitness Centre manager Christine Taylor said when her children were young, she used to pay a dollar at the gym and group of mums would look after the children.

If there were any problems, they would come into the gym and get their parents, she said.
Mrs Taylor said her gym was a member of Register of Exercise Professionals (REPS), and were looking into a new 'children in exercise facilities' programme REPS has outlined for children aged 6-16.

"It's too much red tape to have a crèche unless you are a big gym," she said.