Regina cheer gym concerned over proposed zoning bylaw changes

The City of Regina’s proposed zoning bylaw changes have a local cheerleading gym concerned about its future.

One of the changes outlined in the draft bylaw proposes that recreational facilities — such as gyms, sports clubs and dance studios — no longer be allowed in industrial zones. This would apply only to new recreational facilities, and not those that already exist.

“Because the Official Community Plan discourages the conversion of industrial lands to non-industrial uses, the proposal is meant to encourage development of Recreational Service Facilities in zones that complement and support complete communities, such as Mixed Use Zones and Residential Zones,” the City of Regina wrote in an emailed statement Thursday afternoon.

Carley Weisbeck, co-owner of Boss Athletics, finds the proposed changes frustrating.

When the business moved to D-637 Dewdney Ave. East last May, she said the goal was to slowly expand — but that might not be the case anymore.

“Even as we are right now, we’re bursting at the seams in our current facility. Expansion was something that we absolutely wanted to do and (the proposed zoning bylaw changes) would limit that for us,” she explained, adding the move to a residential area would have a detrimental impact on the gym’s bottom line.

“As we do require such large square footage, going anywhere else is going to triple, quadruple, 10 times our rent, which then falls back on our members.”

Rent aside, Weisbeck noted having recreational facilities in industrial areas makes the most sense because, otherwise, it could cause headaches for those living nearby.

“(In industrial areas) there’s lots of parking, which is generally really nice because we have a lot of athletes coming in and out all evening,” she said. “We play loud music in the evenings, so we’re not disrupting other businesses around us as, generally in the industrial area, most people are working 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.”

Weisbeck added she has heard from many other local recreational facility business owners who feel the same way, and together they’re hoping to take their concerns to city council.

“We have members of all ages who benefit from our services and add to this city,” she said. “If we’re not able to expand, we’re not able to move or we’re forced into places with really high rent, we’re going to have to close our doors.”

Councillors are set to debate the proposed zoning bylaw changes at a special city council meeting on June 17.