Iron Energy Gym has shut its doors, but Interior Health will keep an eye on its compliance to a court injunction ordering the gym's closure.

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Interior Health is keeping a close eye on a controversial West Kelowna gym that's been forced to close for violating public health orders.

"We are continuing to monitor Iron Energy regularly going forward both on a complaint and visit basis," an Interior Health spokesperson said in an email to iNFOnews.ca.

Interior Health was recently granted an injunction in B.C. Supreme Court to enforce a closure order upon the West Kelowna gym after Iron Energy continued to defy the order imposed by the health authority.

In presenting its case in court, lawyer for Interior Health James Goulden said along with repeated defiance of public health policies, more than 40 complaints against Iron Energy were sent to Interior Health before applying for the injunction.

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"We have lost the big fight to big brother," Brett Godin of Iron Energy Gym said in a video posted to social media on Tuesday, Feb. 22. "We are working diligently with a new lawyer in how we can open up and operate — probably going to be following the mandate protocol, we don't know. It's not something we are really wanting to do."

The Feb. 18 court ruling backing the closure order reinforces Interior Health's authority, and leaves anyone who attempts to open Iron Energy for gym operations at risk for arrest.

On the gym's social media, a post today, Feb. 23, says: "We are not open for any services at Iron Energy Gym." It encourages customers to buy the gym's "#FreeBC" clothing online, which can be purchased at the store.

The gym has been in a months-long quarrel with Interior Health, beginning in early January when its owners announced they would not abide by a province-wide order for fitness facilities to close.

READ MORE: Interior Health granted injunction to enforce closure order for West Kelowna gym

The temporary order was meant to reduce COVID-19 transmission when the Omicron variant began rapidly spreading across the province. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry pinned fitness facilities as an "amplifier" for transmission.

After being handed additional fines for not abiding by the closure order, then having its business licence pulled by the City of West Kelowna, Iron Energy eventually was allowed to reopen when the provincial order was repealed on Jan. 20.

The same day the Iron Energy got its licence back, co-owner of the gym Brian Mark announced on social media that the gym was not following other COVID-19 regulations like checking for proof of vaccination and mask mandates.

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Interior Health issued a subsequent closure order on Feb. 3 and issued 21 tickets for health violations, later applying for the injunction as the orders and fines appeared to have little influence on the actions of the gym's owners.

The City of West Kelowna would not comment on the matter except to say that it is not getting involved in the dispute between Iron Energy and Interior Health.

The B.C. Supreme Court ruling will be in effect for six months from the date of the court judgment or as long as the closure order is in effect, whichever comes first.

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