will be enhanced. A new out-
door space will be created, as
well as a dedicated first-floor
entrance.
Another major change is the
relocation and expansion of
the fitness centre. The new fa-
cility will be in a much more
open and functional space,
and will include increased ca-
pacity. There will also be new
member-requested space for
yoga, private lessons, and other
closed-door activities.
In past surveys, members also
requested more wellness of-
ferings. In the approved rede-
velopment, the club will thus
gain an exclusive River Valley
Spa, which will offer massage,
esthetic services, full body
treatments, and more. The
new men’s and women’s locker
rooms will also feature private
massage treatment rooms ser-
vicing up to two members at a
time.
One of the most significant el-
ements of the redevelopment
will be the construction of a new
structure to cover the outdoor
tennis courts. Dustin estimates
that structure will be valued at
roughly $3.5 million by itself.
That investment is worth it,
however, because tennis is the
most in-demand sport formem-
bers and potential new mem-
bers. The club is also currently
the only facility in all of Canada
to have synthetic clay courts,
which they added roughly two
years ago. Dustin says member-
ship has been “overwhelmingly
positive” about their experience
on those courts, but weather in
Edmonton has limited access to
them to only five or six months
a year. The new structure aims
to remedy that.
Finally, Dustin says the club’s
exterior and building enve-
lope will look very different by
the time the redevelopment is
done. Currently, it looks almost
exactly as it did when they first
opened their doors in 1961. The
makeover will help bring the
club into the 21st century.
BUSINESS WORLD MAGAZINE