Fitness Point gym at Soak City water park to close this December for park expansion

Fitness Point Health Club at Knott’s Soak City Water Park closes its doors next month after 22 years.

Members were greeted with signs earlier this week informing them the last day the gym will be open is December 31. The water park changed ownership in August and park representatives say the plan is to expand it.

Soak City said the gym has 1500 active members who now need to find new gyms. While there are many fitness centers in Palm Springs, Fitness Point is one of the only ones that has a pool and many members feel it’s taking away a piece of their community.

“I kind of feel like I’m displaced to be honest,” said David Gregory, who has been a gym member since 2006.

Gregory joined Fitness Point because he had weight issues and the gym offered a friendly environment that made him feel at home.

“I find at this gym everyone wants to improve something about themselves, they want to feel good about themselves. At other gyms it was just about building up your body and looking good,” Gregory said.

Gregory attends the popular water aerobics class “Aquasize” three times a week. He said the class is mostly senior citizens, who rely on the gym for the pool.

“When you have seniors that have mobility issues, joint issues, that’s their primary reason for why they come here,” Gregory said.

But members like Gregory must now find a new fitness home come January 1.

Water park management plans to grow the attraction, and though they refused to speak on camera they offered us the following statement:

“Future plans involve utilizing the health club area as part of an expansion to the water park. These exciting new plans are still in development and we look forward to announcing them in the very near future.”

“I don’t use the water park so I’m more concerned about the gym,” said Paul Compton, who has been a gym member since 2010.

Park representatives tell us they’re already in talks with several other local gyms to provide special deals for Fitness Point members. But many feel that still not enough.

“They should take in consideration that these people consider this part of where they come, this is where they feel at home outside of their home,” Gregory said.