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AT FIRST GLANCE, EnergyPlex may seem like an ordinary family recreation centre.
The 22,000 square foot facility has many of the features common to other rec centres, all in one building: a swimming pool; a gymnastics room equipped with a built-in floor trampoline; a four-level indoor playground called the Energy Cube; and a 30-foot rock climbing tower. Like most contemporary rec centres, EnergyPlex also offers children’s lessons in gymnastics, swimming and taekwondo.
But that’s where the similarities end. While the intent is for families to stay fit, this goal is only secondary to what the owners deem families really need: a stronger parent-child relationship, built through play.
“It’s a little bit of both,” said co-owner Bruce Ellwood. “It’s marrying those two concepts. We’ve created very comfortable and helpful viewing areas – but also play areas so they can come in and play with their kids as well.”
The EnergyPlex, he noted, “was an opportunity for us to try and make an impact on the families of Kelowna and the Greater Okanagan area. Our motto is Families Fit Together.
“Families should be physically fit together, but families should also fit relationally together. In all that we offer, we try to create a strong connection between parent and child.”
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Everything in EnergyPlex is designed to accomplish this goal. Dads can go rock-climbing with their kids, and families can go swimming together. As Ellwood emphasized, EnergyPlex is not for babysitting; it’s designed so parents and children can develop a deeper relationship.
When children become bullies or exhibit behavioural problems, usually the cause can be traced to the quality of relationship the child has with the parents. “Children’s behaviour is so tied to their emotions. And they need that connection, they need that parent/child relationship.”
In a society where many activities are compartmentalized for adults and children, EnergyPlex aims to bridge that divide – to create closer, stronger families. As Ellwood said, this is the way it’s supposed to be.
“When you get families playing together, it’s just so natural – natural for having conversations, natural for building relationships.
“I think God designed us to be multigenerational.”
Contact: energyplex.ca.
– Lailani Mendoza
March 2010
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