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.

90 Days of Summer!

Summer has come once again to Calgary, and Talisman Centre is celebrating with a special 90 Days of Summer pass available from now until June 30!

Your Summer Pass will allow you access to Talisman Centre’s 25,000 square feet of cardio and weight training space, two gymnasiums (for basketball, badminton, volleyball, etc.) and an Olympic-sized swimming pool. You’ll also be welcome to attend any of Talisman Centre’s exceptional drop-in group fitness classes at no additional charge, like Yoga, Group Power, Cardio Kickbox, Deep-Water Fitness, and Power Cycling.

• Adult: $199
• Student/Youth/Senior: $159
• Couple/Family/Group Home: $359

Exclusive to this special 3-month pass is a 20% discount on Talisman Centre’s state-of-the-art Endurance Training Systems (ETS) testing*.

To get your 90-day pass, swing by Talisman Centre, or call (403) 233-8393.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

* Talisman Centre is equipped to perform blood lactate testing, an advanced method of assessing and monitoring your body's response to training. We will also determine your VO₂ Max aerobic capacity, which will tell you how your body transports and uses oxygen during a workout. The results of these tests can be used to create specific power and heart rate zones that will help you maximize your training program, and tell you what kind of training will be most effective for your physiology.

50 metre public lane swim M/W/F mornings!

From 5:00AM to 8:30AM on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, one 50m lane is now available to the public for swimming!

Lane Size Alert: Olympic Water Polo Team at TC

The Canadian Men's Olympic Water Polo Team, who competed in the Olympics last year, are preparing for the upcoming Canadian Senior Nationals (May 27th to 30th) and for the Italian Open (July 20-26). To accommodate their requirement of a 30-metre pool, public swimming will be reduced to 20 metres on the following dates/times:

• Saturday May 15th from 6:00pm to 9:00pm
• Saturday May 22nd from 5:30pm to 9:00pm

We regret any inconvenience, and wish our national Men's Water Polo Team the best of luck!

No admittance 30 minutes before closing

Talisman Centre closes at 11:00pm during the week, and 10:00pm on weekends and holidays. In order to ensure we are able to close the facility safely and on-time, there is no admittance to the building 30 minutes before closing. This means that no new customers will be admitted after 10:30pm on weekdays or after 9:30pm on weekends and holidays. We appreciate your cooperation!

Former TC badminton instructor best in Canada!

A former Talisman Centre badminton instructor, Simeon Samuel, recently placed 2nd at the 2010 Canadian Masters Badminton Championships in the 65+ age category! Simeon can still be seen during the week here at Talisman Centre honing his skills. (His son, Marlon, is also a skilled badminton player, and also a former instructor at Talisman Centre.)

Congratulations Simeon on your incredible achievement!

Eye on Construction

Keep an eye on construction on our construction camera page. Click the images below to see them super-sized! (The 'close' button for the large images is on their top right corner.)

Under the Tent:


From the Parking Lot:


Bird's-Eye View: