It was a place where longtime friends, casual acquaintances and co-workers met for the occasional pickup basketball game or volleyball match; a workday destination where patrons chatted with each other while working up a sweat on the treadmill or elliptical machine.
In an industry increasingly dominated by national fitness chains, Princeton Athletic Club in downtown Vancouver seemed a throwback to another, more personalized era.
Now the 27-year-old institution is gone, a victim of a continuing regional economic slump and increasing competition from different sectors.
In a letter dated Oct. 30, Lawson informed members of the gym's closure, effective immediately. "We are very grateful for your loyalty and wish we were able to continue operation of the facility," Lawson wrote. "Unfortunately, economic circumstances make the continued operation of PAC impossible."
A former hotel sales manager at the Vancouver Hilton, Lawson bought PAC from Portlanders Russ and Michele Dyer for an undisclosed amount in 2007. "I like the area, and it has obvious advantages with the new construction coming in and the growth. I love being downtown, and this club has a great clientele," Lawson told the VBJ shortly after the sale.
Though the economic outlook for downtown has changed considerably since, at least one other member of Vancouver's fitness community believes the slump isn't the only cause of PAC's demise.
"David's a victim of the downturn, but at the same time, he's also a victim of the city getting into the fitness club business," said Sherri McMillan, owner of Northwest Personal Training.
McMillan pointed to the city of Vancouver's $7 million allocation to Marshall Community Center on McLoughlin Boulevard for a recently-completed renovation as giving the facility unfair advantage over small businesses like PAC.
However, most of the money went towards fixing the 42-year-old facility's electrical system and increasing energy efficiency, not to upgrade or purchase fitness equipment, according to David Miletich at the city's Parks Department.
In the end, it was PAC's lender Wells Fargo Bank, not the city that determined its fate, according to Lawson. "We did our best to keep the doors open and wished it could have turned out differently," he emailed the VBJ on Monday. "Ultimately the bank made the decision to pull the plug."
