A Surrey gymnastics club says it might have to close because of a huge rent increase.
The Surrey Gymnastics Society provides instructions for roughly 200 kids from recreational tumblers and school programs to high-level competitors.
It has been teaching kids for 46 years.
However, the non-profit’s lease on its gym in the Newton Omniplex Centre is up and its landlord wants to increase the rent from $15,000 per month to $21,000.
“With this $21,000 per month, we can’t have the gym running,” Jagdeep Gill, president of the Surrey Gymnastics Society said.
“It’s just out of our hands. We have set up (GoFundMe) accounts. We have (been) asking for donations from the community, from family, friends.
“We have mailed letters to small businesses if they want to sponsorship us. And we have enough wall space to do advertisement as well.”
Lucy Merta’s child attends the gymnastics program and told Global News it would be disappointing to see it close.
“It would just be such a shame if we couldn’t keep this gym afloat, right?” she said.
“There’s just so much history here and it’s produced so many great athletes.”
Gill said the club has asked the landlord to freeze the rent at the current level but they did not get a response.