Days after a Toronto fitness studio closed down without warning, a competitor has stepped up to allow consumers to take classes there at no charge.
Orangetheory Fitness Canada has extended the offer to 1,800 customers of Track Fitness in Forest Hill Village.
Track Fitness closed its doors on June 30 with no further explanation to customers.
“It’s really important to protect the integrity of the fitness business in Canada,” said Blake MacDonald, president of Orangetheory Fitness Canada.
Orangetheory Fitness made the pledge after seeing Global News stories about the Track Fitness shutdown.
The company will offer Track’s customers free classes until October 1. All customers need to do is bring a printout of the number of classes they are owed by Track Fitness, said MacDonald.
“We were able to touch base with 150 members to date,” said MacDonald, after an email was sent out on Tuesday.
He stressed there was no obligation to customers who took up the free offer.
Track Fitness is owned by Toronto personal trainer Larry Track, who owns a fitness studio nearby called “The Werkout” on Eglinton Avenue West. It remains open.
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However, Track declined to offer refunds to customers at his Track Fitness location. He also did not offer refunds to clients, many of whom had paid hundreds of dollars on discounted class vouchers, including through a Father’s Day sale.
“No comment,” Track told Global News inside the gym when asked what happened to the money he accepted from clients.