Bringing people together through sweat and a sense of community, Red River College grad Amie Seier is opening up a new gym in Winnipeg’s Exchange District.

The Community Gym, which gives members the opportunity to take spin, boxing, yoga and bootcamp classes at a central location, began pop-up classes in September and is currently housed in what used to be Berns & Black Salon, next to Parlour Coffee on Main Street.

“I wish I had a place like The Community when I was going to school,” says Seier (shown above, at centre), who graduated from RRC’s Creative Communications program in 2012.

“Exercise reduces anxiety and improves mental performance — it’s what our bodies are meant to do. And The Community is more than just a place to work out, it’s a place to escape your screens and find real people.”

Seier, who has worked in marketing since graduating, credits her experience in CreComm for giving her the skills to launch a business.

“It’s more than a program to prepare you for the workforce as an employee — it really gives you the foundation as a business owner,” she says. “What you won’t find online about the program is that it makes you realize that you can make anything a reality with hard work. It forges you through the fire, and you learn, ‘Hey, I can actually do this idea I had. It’s real and I made that happen.’”  

Seier believes the Exchange District plays an important role in bringing people together, and hopes to see even more businesses opening up in the area.

“I really do believe the revitalization of the Exchange District has been a huge piece in making our downtown a place more people want to be. And Red River played an instrumental part in that,” she says.

The Community Gym will continue pop-up classes into the new year, and Seier plans to add more classes to the schedule once she’s converted the space into a fully functional studio.

“Finding a regular hit of exercise and good people will change your life. I have never been more certain of anything in my life,” she says.