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The local law will not include restrictions on the number of permit applications or charges. These will be reviewed during the 6 month trial and introduced at the conclusion of the trial.

The parks that are sanctioned for commercial fitness activities have been revised from the original draft document

Well after a solid 3 months of campaigning Yarra City Council have revised their proposed permit structure.

It was very comforting to bask in the knowledge that the sum of many voices can bring about change.

With a few outstanding issues to be resolved, we are geting closer to a permit structure that will provide a sustainable future for all commercial fitness operators.

Once we have received a summary from Yarra council, we will publish the minutes of the meeting as well as the revised permit structure.

There are only 2 Bootcamp companies that conduct Group fitness classes at Edinburgh Gardens and one fitness trainer who does one on one training….a very small footprint on one of the largest parks in the City of Yarra!

On averarge 10-12 people attend with numbers dwidling to less than 8 during the depths of winter.
These 2 small businesses will be totally banned based on the proposed policy.

There are no objections to paying a licence fee for the commercial use of the park.
The fee should reflect the costs of administering the permit system, maintenance, wear and tear on park infra structure.
Unrealistic fees prohibit businesses from being commercial viable while necessitating the need to increase session costs that are absorbed by the client.

The average amount of sessions clients attend is 2-3 times a week to get maximum results and lose weight/get fit. Once a week will never achieve the results they desire.

Similairly can a business be commercially viable conducting one session a week at the rate of $38 per session at one of only 4 parks deemed appropriate for group training.

Both companies utlise the whole park without concentrating on any one area.
Secondly sessions are conducted in off peak times being at 6-7am, 6.30-7.30pm Monday – Friday and before 10am on Saturdays.

People have the right to train outdoors in our beautiful parks as rate payers.
Group fitness offers affordable exercise that is easilly accessible to the local community.

Edinburgh Gardens, is one of the largest parks in the City of Yarra and the council proposed policy is not allowing any group fitness classes that train over 6 people, therefore eliminating those existing business from the park.

“Your Say” following the article on Yarra City Councils permit proposal, 209 comments.
City of Yarra is one of several municipalities that is following the lead of five bayside councils, which recently moved to clamp down on boot camps that operate on beaches and foreshore parks.

Are the proposed exercise fees a “greedy grab for cash” as labelled by Yarra councillor Steve Jolly, or should trainers have to pay for using public property for their private gain?

After a few phone call, we managed to organise Cameron Houston from the Age to cover the story about Yarra Council’s proposed permit system that will effectively end fitness training at Edinburgh Gardens for groups over 7 people.

Councillor Steve Jolly attended with a mother who attends fitness classes in Clifton Hill as well Nicholls Labour candidate Jane Garrett and a strong contigent of Fitstyler clients.

Exerts from the article as it appeared on Monday, 20th October 2009

City of Yarra and several other municipalities are following the lead of five bayside councils, which recently moved to clamp down on boot camps that operate on beaches and foreshore parks.

But Yarra has gone a step further and proposed a ban on commercial exercise groups of more than six people from 18 public parks in Fitzroy, Clifton Hill and Richmond. Fitness classes will also be prohibited from exercising within 10 metres of playgrounds or 15 metres of picnic sheds and park benches.

Yarra councillor Steve Jolly labelled the proposal a “greedy grab for cash”, which he will oppose at a council vote next month. “These types of activities should be encouraged rather than taxed, it’s pure opportunism.”

Personal trainer Andrew Talati, who runs classes in North Fitzroy’s Edinburgh Gardens, said the $1000 permits would destroy his business, Fitstyler.

“There seems to be a huge inconsistency between local, state and federal governments in how to tackle the obesity epidemic,” Mr Talati said

He said that most of his clients lived in the municipality and already paid rates that covered the upkeep of parks and gardens.

Kathryn Field trains twice a week at Edinburgh Gardens and said the classes had a “negligible impact” on the park, which was far outweighed by the community health benefits.

“It’s fantastic that people are being encouraged to exercise. I work as a cancer specialist so I’m well aware of the adverse health effects of obesity and a lack of exercise,” Dr Field said.

Mayor Judy Morton defended the plan and said personal trainers profited from public spaces and had an obligation to contribute to their upkeep. “People who operate a business expect to pay rent in their business premises, so it is reasonable to pay a fee to conduct a business in a local park,” Cr Morton said.

Liberty Victoria president Julian Burnside, QC, recently slammed the bid to charge personal trainers.

“It’s ridiculous that councils think they can gouge some members of the public to use this land,” Mr Burnside said.