50-metre open lanes now available

Effective October 21, 2010 we are pleased to offer 50-metre lane swimming open to the public Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 5:00am - 8:30am.

Thank you!

Change to Sunday Yoga Time

Please note there has been a change to the start time of our Sunday Yoga Class. Starting Sunday October 24th Yoga will start at 11:15am (instead of 11:00am). This does not affect the times of any other Yoga classes during the week.

We apologize for any inconvenience.

Sandblasting and Painting: Sept. 28/29/30, 2010

Dominion Construction is sandblasting on September 28th in the construction yard starting around 8am. As we cannot predict the wind in advance we have closed off a larger portion of the parking lot. Once the crew is set up and the wind verified the closed section will reduce to a more reasonable space. Painting will take place outside on Wednesday, September 29th and Thursday, September 30th, and may also require a temporary reduction in available parking space.

The parking lot will return to its previous capacity by October 1st.

Basketball time reduction for remainder of 2010

Please note there has been a reduction in available basketball drop-in times for the remainder of 2010.  Click here for the most up-to-date schedule. We look forward to offering more much availability after re-opening the main three gyms in 2011.

Temporary aquatic schedule adjustment

We are unable to offer 50-metre swimming lanes from 5:00am – 8:30am on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays until after October 4th, 2010.

We regret any inconvenience this may cause!

Fall Registration Begins!

Fall registration has officially begun at Talisman Centre! So if you have been waiting to try ETS, or have been thinking about enlisting the help of a Nutritionist or a Personal Trainer (or both!), then head over to our online registration portal and take a look at what's coming up this fall.

Note: To register online, you will need a Client Barcode and an Account PIN. To get those things, just call customer service at (403) 233-8393 and they'll be glad to help you out!

Thanks for the Vote!

Fast Forward Weekly has published their annual "Best of Calgary" issue, and for the 12th time, Talisman Centre has been voted "Calgary's Best Fitness Facility"! Thank you to everyone who voted in FFWD's poll, we love you too!

We're Listening: Results of the Customer Pulse Survey

We’re Listening.

In March 2010, we asked you how we could be better. You told us, and we’ve heard you!

The five areas that were of most concern were:
Equipment in the Fitness Centre   •   Cleanliness of the facility   •   Prices   •   The Pool

Equipment in the Fitness Centre
Space: Due to our space restrictions in 2010, we have moved equipment closer together in order to accommodate our customers. The distance between equipment is now comparable to the standard spacing found in most facilities, which was unnecessary when we had the luxury of more space.

Variety: The selection of equipment that would be available during 2010 was carefully chosen after a study of usage patterns and a consultation with over 50 customers.

Cleanliness
Some concerns were dusty floors, wet towels, insufficient spray bottles, and general lack of cleanliness. The following steps have been taken:

• Extra custodial staff are on duty
• Additional spray bottles have been distributed
• Towel rotation has been increased significantly

Prices
Several customers have felt that with reduced space in the facility, the price of admission should likewise be reduced. However, many customers have not had their routine disrupted at all by the closure. Neverthelsess, we have offered a number of options (including temporary membership suspension) to anyone who felt they were not getting the value they wanted at Talisman Centre in 2010.

The Pool
In response to your feedback, the following measures have been taken:

• Additional tables on the pool deck by the showers
• Towel/clothing hooks near showers and beside hot tubThe dry (no-shower) change rooms are checked more frequently, and mopped if needed
• Hair dryer added to the women’s change room

Thank you for your feedback! Keep telling us how we can serve you better!

Congratulations Hailey!

Hailey Casper holding her award.

A big congrats to Hailey Casper, who was recognized as the 2009 Alberta Junior Female Athlete of the Year for diving! Our dive tank may be closed for 2010, but Hailey has always been a fixture on our dive tower. She belongs to Dive Calgary, one of Talisman Centre's valued Sport Partners.

The award was bestowed by the Alberta Sport, Recreation, Parks & Wildlife Foundation, and is in recognition of the Hailey's many remarkable achievements in her sport. She distinguished herself in a number of national and international competitions last year, including a bronze medal in three-metre synchro diving at the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid, along with her synchro partner Mandy Moran. (The pair snagged another bronze medal in the three-metre synchro event at the FINA Canada Cup in Montreal.)

Hailey won the gold medal at the Junior Nationals in Victoria last July, and was the Team Alberta flag bearer at the 2009 Canada Summer Games in Prince Edward Island, where she won another gold medal and set a Canada Games record with 290.55 points. She placed an impressive fifth against the best divers from eight countries at the Junior Pan Am Championships held at Talisman Centre last year.

Hailey is an immensely talented diver, with her sights set on a spot on the Canadian National Team. We can't wait to have her back diving in Talisman Centre, and wish her continued success!

Temporary Hot Tub Closure: June 3rd 2010

Please Note: The Hot Tub at Talisman Centre will be closed on Thursday, June 3rd from 7:00AM to 4:00PM for routine cleaning and maintenance.