Online fundraiser set up after West Kelowna gym fined for defying public health orders

The interior of Iron Energy Gym in West Kelowna is seen in this photo from the gym's Facebook page. (Iron Energy Gym West Kelowna/Facebook)

The owners of a gym fined thousands of dollars for defying British Columbia's public health orders will be able to pay the penalty with donations made through a fundraiser, if they choose to pay the ticket at all.

The owners of Iron Energy Gym in West Kelowna were fined $2,300 and ordered to close again last week for their decision to contravene an order requiring all gyms to close for the time being. 

The fine came just days after the gym's 2022 business licence was withheld for the same reason.

It doesn't seem the financial penalty will be much of a deterrent for Iron Energy, however.

An online fundraiser meant to cover the costs of this fine and any in the future raised more than $9,400 in just 10 days.

The organizer of the fundraiser, hosted on GoFundMe, wrote that the owners are "standing up and finally saying enough is enough. This will obviously come with consequences."

Some of the donors posted messages wishing them luck. Some who contributed weren't even residents of B.C., but sent cash to show their support.

But it seemed the gym's owners may not have plans to pay the ticket or tickets without putting up a further fight.

A post on social media encouraged gym owners to "open your doors. Take the tickets. Dispute them. Fight for your freedom."

A number of gym owners have chosen to disobey the orders in place in the province until at least Jan. 18.

Some in the industry have argued they're being unfairly targeted, demanding proof of the risk of transmission in gyms. They've also argued that gyms may be more important to some now than ever as they look to protect themselves from the mental toll of the pandemic, while trying to stay as healthy as possible.

And many have questioned whether the risk of transmission isn't just as high in industries not as impacted by restrictions, such as malls, which are considered "essential," and indoor events like concerts and hockey games, which are allowed to continue at 50 per cent capacity.

Indoor sports and recreation programs are also still permitted, as long as attendance does not exceed 50 per cent of the venue's capacity.

Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.'s provincial health officer, said the reasoning behind the order is that intense indoor exercise, even when participants are wearing a mask, creates a heightened risk of transmission.

She said her order was put in place to protect employees and customers, and not as a punishment for gyms not following recommendations or orders.