According to a recent survey by Mercer Canada, physical health and fitness are the top concerns for Canadian workers in 2022, ahead of job security and promotion.
High-end, state-of-the-art corporate fitness facilities have become the norm in commercial office spaces, and businesses that offer high-quality fitness programs and member experiences within their facilities enjoy the highest engagement rates, member satisfaction and outcomes. The challenge is that companies, developers, property owners, landlords and property management companies are not in the fitness business.
To gain the expertise needed to plan, equip, operate, and outfit today’s fitness facilities, these companies turn to organizations like LIV North, which are committed to delivering best-in-class health, fitness and wellness solutions backed by excellence and reliability. Service is backed by 45 years old. The company started as Health Systems Group in Ontario and changed its name to LIV North in 2018 as part of a multi-company acquisition. Today, LIV North provides turnkey solutions for on-site fitness facilities in corporate, residential and commercial buildings, colleges/universities and community centres across Canada.
“As facility managers ourselves, we recognize that contracting with third-party equipment distributors and service companies does not provide us with the level of service and product quality that our customers and our managers need to deliver exceptional service,” said Lisa Kendall, LIV North Inc. “LIV North was created to provide fitness and wellness services and equipment to our customers through one entity. This gives us complete control over every aspect of our service delivery.”
LIV North is a consulting and management firm specializing in fitness facility management, including staffing, planning, equipment distribution, equipment maintenance and service, aquatics planning and pool services. When serving Canada’s leading corporations, property managers, colleges/universities and community centres, it is the only company in Canada to offer a complete fitness facility management service that is transformative in attracting and retaining the best talent, tenants increasingly important to residents, students and community members.
“We recognize and appreciate the significant value we are entrusted with to provide,” Kendall said. “Each of our clients places a high priority on the health and well-being of their employees and has invested heavily in the provision of on-site fitness and water sports facilities and programs, as well as virtual fitness and well-being programs.”
LIV North’s fitness management department is often brought in to repurpose spaces as fitness facilities, or during the planning stages of an office building, bringing their expertise in fitness center design and layout to the building’s developers and architects. As part of the division’s start-up and design consulting services, LIV North advises on facility design, equipment layout design and procurement, financial forecasting, and pre-opening marketing and membership outreach programs.
Its on-site and virtual fitness center management services include staffing, facility operations, integrated fitness, wellness, recreation and aquatic programs, equipment procurement and management, membership services and sales, planning, budgeting and reporting, and financial and administrative management. In short, everything a developer, building owner, property manager or company needs to plan, launch, equip, operate and plan a modern, state-of-the-art fitness facility with a significant positive return to the employees who use these facilities.
“Our clients recognize that healthy, active people are more productive, happier, and tend to stay longer,” said Tonya Faganely, vice president of LIV North. “They hired us because we were maximizing member engagement. , has a proven track record of delivering measurable results and minimizing the operational burden on our clients.”
Three of LIV North’s most recent projects are LinkedIn’s new downtown office, the first phase of downtown CIBC Plaza, and the new Prosserman Jewish Community Centre in North Toronto.
Of course, LIV North has had to adjust during the pandemic. An airborne respiratory virus has hit the fitness industry hard, but LIV North decided to live by the phrase “never waste a good crisis.” “We quickly developed a virtual product that basically gave our customers an online corporate gym,” Faganely said. “Our goal is to provide nearly the same programming and schedules that members enjoy onsite. We recognize that during these uncertain times, we can provide a way to connect people and align their actions with the pre-pandemic daily life is consistent.
LIV North consulted with clients on the design of more than 200 fitness centers, managed more than 100 fitness centers across Canada, and provided virtual fitness and wellness programs to more than 150,000 Canadians every day, perhaps more than ever before times are needed more.
“The pandemic has sparked an epidemic of burnout and mental health issues,” Kendall said. “We know that in-person and virtual fitness and wellness programs will play an important role in improving the health of Canadians emerging from the pandemic, and LIV North is ready and ready to serve.”
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