1640-1660 Carling Ave [former Canadian Tire] | up to 135m | up to 40f | Proposed

[rocketphish]

What it's like working out at Altea Ottawa — Canada's largest gym
The fitness centre on Carling Avenue encompasses 129,000 square feet that once housed a Canadian Tire. Just don't call it a gym, the company's CEO urges.

Lynn Saxberg, Ottawa Citizen
Published Nov 28, 2024 • Last updated 4 hours ago • 8 minute read



“How sweaty do you want to get?”

Ottawa business tycoon Jeff York asked me that question as we perused a big screen on the wall listing the array of fitness classes that were due to start within the hour.

Among the options were yoga, hot yoga, pilates, cycling, boxing, HIIT (high-intensity interval training), and a weight-lifting session called LF3 Strength.

“Moderately?” I replied, keenly aware of my lack of athletic ability.

We were in the centre of York’s latest venture, Altea Active, a huge, high-end fitness facility on Carling Avenue that encompasses 129,000 square feet of reimagined, custom-designed retail space, located on a five-acre piece property that used to house a Canadian Tire store.

After a renovation costing more than $30 million, the only indoor feature that remains of the hardware retailer is the escalator ferrying people up from what’s now a grand reception area. That new-tire smell is gone and black-clad staff greet you from the marble facade of a front desk that looks more like a luxury hotel than a gym.

Whoops.

“Don’t call it a gym” was one of the first things York told me when I called to set up a visit.

“Seriously. We can never use the word gym ever again,” he added emphatically. “Altea is a premium fitness-wellness club. It’s a big difference.”

<more>









https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/altea-ottawa-canadas-largest-gym

[J.OT13]

That is a cool gym. It's a health club really. Very good use of a building that still had a lot of life in it. RioCan has enough projects going on that they didn't need to demo the old CT just to sit on a empty parking lot for decades. They have enough of those.

[Landscape Lenny]

Great facility but having to drive around for 15 minutes to find parking is ridiculous. Will likely only get worse once the pool opens.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Landscape Lenny

Great facility but having to drive around for 15 minutes to find parking is ridiculous. Will likely only get worse once the pool opens.

Might also get better once the novelty wears out. How was the parking situation when it was Canadian Tire? I only went there once or twice.

[dougvdh]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Might also get better once the novelty wears out. How was the parking situation when it was Canadian Tire? I only went there once or twice.

It was best Canadian Tire location for curbside pickup since the waiting spaces were under the covered area which made loading on a bad weather day a non-issue.

[c_speed3108]

Something about having escalators in a fitness facility seems ... wrong.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by Landscape Lenny

Great facility but having to drive around for 15 minutes to find parking is ridiculous. Will likely only get worse once the pool opens.

The whole idea of driving to your exercise in a building is so foreign to me that it might as well be in Klingon.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by c_speed3108

Something about having escalators in a fitness facility seems ... wrong.

Only if you use them to go in the government-approved direction of travel. But try going up on the downscalator, and down on the escalator for a few rounds.

[Richard Eade]

Yup. Maybe those are not really escalators. Maybe they are long Infinite Stepper Machines.

[zzptichka]

Classic

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by c_speed3108

Something about having escalators in a fitness facility seems ... wrong.

Anyone know if those were there when it was a Canadian Tire?

Originally Posted by Uhuniau

The whole idea of driving to your exercise in a building is so foreign to me that it might as well be in Klingon.

It's pretty common with suburban GoodLife, Fit for Less and Movati locations. Nothing new, really.

Originally Posted by zzptichka

Classic

Don't want to over exert yourself before starting your workout.

[phil235]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Anyone know if those were there when it was a Canadian Tire?

Yep, based on the picture it looks like the escalators are in the same location and configuration as they were for the store.

I miss that store. Canadian Tire really needs to come back downtown.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

It's pretty common with suburban GoodLife, Fit for Less and Movati locations. Nothing new, really.

I know, I find it wierd there, too!

[DTcrawler]

Originally Posted by phil235

Yep, based on the picture it looks like the escalators are in the same location and configuration as they were for the store.

I miss that store. Canadian Tire really needs to come back downtown.

I thought they closed that CT, despite it being relatively new, because of the massive one that they opened just over a kilometre west? I wouldn't really consider the former location (current Altea) to be "downtown" either unless you're referring to another former CT that I'm unaware of, but I agree it was still relatively central.

The CT in Overbrook is closer to downtown and accessible by Line 1, which is great for trips there to buy things that don't need a car to be transported.

Regardless, I agree that a downtown-proper CT would be great, kind of like how urban formats of traditionally-suburban big box stores like Ikea and Costco exist in places like Toronto and Vancouver.

[BlueJay]

Originally Posted by DTcrawler

I thought they closed that CT, despite it being relatively new, because of the massive one that they opened just over a kilometre west? I wouldn't really consider the former location (current Altea) to be "downtown" either unless you're referring to another former CT that I'm unaware of, but I agree it was still relatively central.

The CT in Overbrook is closer to downtown and accessible by Line 1, which is great for trips there to buy things that don't need a car to be transported.

Regardless, I agree that a downtown-proper CT would be great, kind of like how urban formats of traditionally-suburban big box stores like Ikea and Costco exist in places like Toronto and Vancouver.

The other Downtown CT would have been the 180 Kent location that closed 20 years ago for the Minto Place Expansion. That was an amazing location.

[Ottawacurious]

Originally Posted by Uhuniau

I know, I find it wierd there, too!

Its not that weird. Some people have mobility issues (be it fitness or injury related) and are going to the gym to address them. Not everyone going to the gym can do large flights of stairs. ~shrugs~

[DTcrawler]

Originally Posted by BlueJay

The other Downtown CT would have been the 180 Kent location that closed 20 years ago for the Minto Place Expansion. That was an amazing location.

Wow, had no idea that was ever a thing. Indeed it would be amazing if they could bring back something similar. Cheers!

[McDonald's Racoon]

Originally Posted by c_speed3108

Something about having escalators in a fitness facility seems ... wrong.

If you've ever had to limp down the stairs after a brutal leg day, you'd feel differently about these escalators

[BlueJay]

Originally Posted by DTcrawler

Wow, had no idea that was ever a thing. Indeed it would be amazing if they could bring back something similar. Cheers!

It would be great if they could find a central location again. Funny fact is that I was a regular at the CT at 180 Kent, and then moved on to being a regular at the Royal Oak at 180 Kent. Sitting in almost the same spot having a drink where I sat waiting for my car. Just keeping the tradition going!!!

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by DTcrawler

I thought they closed that CT, despite it being relatively new, because of the massive one that they opened just over a kilometre west? I wouldn't really consider the former location (current Altea) to be "downtown" either unless you're referring to another former CT that I'm unaware of, but I agree it was still relatively central.

The CT in Overbrook is closer to downtown and accessible by Line 1, which is great for trips there to buy things that don't need a car to be transported.

Regardless, I agree that a downtown-proper CT would be great, kind of like how urban formats of traditionally-suburban big box stores like Ikea and Costco exist in places like Toronto and Vancouver.

CT signed an agreement to move the store to Carlingwood, but I don't know why they wanted to move in the first place.

Sorry, the way you said it was like a Tim Horton's franchise closed after another Tim Hortons franchise opened a few blocks down, but in this case, it was all part of the plan.

Originally Posted by Ottawacurious

Its not that weird. Some people have mobility issues (be it fitness or injury related) and are going to the gym to address them. Not everyone going to the gym can do large flights of stairs. ~shrugs~

But those escalators don't help people in wheelchairs.