I am a gym junkie. You could even call me a gym-tart because I’ll workout anywhere. So, it probably doesn’t surprise you that I leapt at the chance to check out the new Next Gen Health and Lifestyle Club that has totally revamped a large chunk of Lyneham.
I felt special to be one of the first people to have a site tour of the nearly finished club, so I wanted to share it with you. I took photos too – just keep in mind that these were taken earlier this week and the club is incomplete. This really is a cheeky preview before the grand opening. As proof you can spot a tradie or two in some of my shots!
You may have seen the flashing opening soon sign and general construction at the intersection of Ellenborough Street and Ginninderra Drive. It’s pretty exciting for the locals to have the project almost complete.
As a teen, I spent much time in this very spot as my bestie throughout high school was an excellent squash player. The original courts (the National Centre) were the home of many squash stars including Next Gen’s general manager Tony Frazer.
I had one of my first “real” drinks in the National’s bar upstairs and even learned to drive in the huge parking lot out the front. There was a small retail store down stairs that sold rackets, balls and ice-creams and of course there were run-down tennis and squash courts for hire.
Needless to say, EVERYTHING has changed! To see it today makes my mind boggle!
The Next Gen club has a brand new approach of combining loads of activities under the one roof. You can still find the squash and tennis courts at the end of Ginninderra Drive but they are not the same. They are new, they the latest and greatest of surfaces and surrounded by the most lovely of facilities. Members and their guests can still have that “real” drink in the fully licenced café and bar as well as browse the two exciting retail shops in the foyer.
But there’s more…
Upstairs is a fully loaded gym. It is HUGE! They have the full range of Les Mills classes running across three studios plus a well thought out cycle zone with the latest bikes. There are areas for functional fitness, free weights as well as the latest machines. There is so much to do that your workout is never going to be boring plus the gym floor has the best view of the tennis courts and pools.
There are also Born to Move classes which are designed for kids of all ages! I know my kids will love the idea of going to the gym and attending a real session just for them!
Here’s me waiting for my Dance Academy class to start! Yep, I realise I look darling in my hard hat and high-vis vest.
Alright, so I have mentioned tennis. There is seriously so much tennis to be had! There are adult and children courts and a mix of surfaces including European clay and synthetic grass courts. Private coaching is available (this is me as I am totally uncoordinated and only play tennis on holidays!). There are group programs too which sound like fun. If tennis or squash is your thing…. Look no further, you will be happy as a pig in mud here.
There are two swimming pools, one indoor and the other is outdoors. They are both 25m and heated (I checked!). These pools are for both leisure and lifestyle. There are learn to swim programs for the kids and you can swim for fitness and/or play.
If you don’t feel like getting wet, you can relax and soak up the rays at the poolside sun terrace. It really is a great space for spending quality time with your family or friends.
Imagine sipping tea here during swimming lessons! No more suffering by the hot indoor pool during the kid’s tuition!
Some days we are not full of energy and we just need to relax. That’s cool, because there is a place to do that here too. Check out these snaps I took of the spa, sauna and ice bar! I bet your current club doesn’t have one of these!
To be honest I am not even sure what you do with all that ice, but I am interested to find out. Behind this station is an amazing tranquil shower that plays music and makes you feel like you are in a rain forest or something equally wonderful. This section of the club is quite an attraction in itself!
Downstairs there is a crèche that has both indoor and outdoor play areas as well as bathroom facilities. Parents will be able to leave their children in care knowing they are safe and are having fun too.
Next Gen creche has 90 minute sessions (best $8 ever spent!), meaning that there’s time to shower/swim/spa/coffee after a workout rather than having to rush back to the child straightway. The good news is that if you do take your child for cuppa afterwards in the café, there is also a soft-fall play area for them to muck about.
As a Mum myself, this is a big tick for me. My coffee tastes better when there’s not a little person on my lap.
This place really does feel like a resort or some kind of country club for lifestyle and leisure. Its different to anything we have had in Canberra before. It has a likening to a nice hotel, because you could really stay all day! There’s no where to sleep, but you could, for example, have a board meeting with your staff, do a group workout and then have a team lunch.
I am happily married, but I was thinking while I was walking around that it would be a great place to meet people if you were single. You could easily strike up a conversation during a workout and then move easily into drinks downstairs. Maybe it is this sort of environment that Canberra needs to shake off the “It’s hard to meet people in Canberra” we have been tagged with for so long?!
There is so much more that I haven’t mentioned here. I said at the start that I felt special for being one of the first to go through the Next Gen Club, but you can too. The staff will happily show you around. You can make an inquiry here. Or wait for their Open Day coming up on Saturday 20th June right before the Grand Opening on Monday 22nd.
What do you think? Are you looking forward to Next Gen opening?
Find Jenny at lovewednesday.com.au and on Instagram.
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