Island Gymnastics Academy in search of new space as demand grows

A gymnastics academy on P.E.I. says it needs a new facility to keep up with the number of people looking to get into the sport. 

The Island Gymnastics Academy operates out of the Royalty Centre in Charlottetown, where it's been for the last 20 years. 

"It's completely full," said Charles Keliher, part of the team trying to find a new facility. "There is absolutely no room for any additional equipment or expansion of programs." 

The "overcrowded" facility is operating at 100 per cent capacity with more than 1,500 gymnasts taking part in its programs, Keliher said. 

"We need a new facility so that we can move forward," he said, pointing out that about 200 people are on a wait list to join.

Jaycob Frank, who's been training at the academy for the last 14 years, said the small space doesn't bother him, but a new building would mean more young athletes could take part. 

"Upgrading in size so we can have more kids coming through the [recreation] programs, we'd be able to spread out more as a whole group and we'd have bigger events," he said. 

The group has been searching for a new facility for the past five years, Keliher said. While they've looked into a number of options, none has been the right fit. 

The space needs to be long enough for someone to be able to run up to a vault, and high enough for other gym equipment like rings. But as a not-for-profit, he said the academy doesn't have enough money to build on its own. 

The organization has had discussions with the Town of Stratford, eyeing a space in the town's future community campus in the next three to five years, Keliher said. 

In 2020, Stratford signed purchase agreements for 69 hectares of land to build a new high school and a number of recreational facilities. Officials with the town confirmed the academy is one of the possible tenants being considered, but no final decisions have been made. 

"It would allow us to offer new programs that we can't offer [now] because of the size of this facility, offer additional services to people who wish to participate in the gymnastics program, and it would be great not only for those people, but for sport in general on Prince Edward Island." 

While nothing is set in stone, Keliher said the Stratford campus would be ideal. He's optimistic about a future location in Stratford and already has a layout in mind, but said his team is prepared to keep looking if it doesn't work out. 

"It would be a dream come true for our coaches, our athletes, the parents and the grandparents of our gymnasts," he said. "We now have gymnasts here whose parents and grandparents were gymnasts years ago."