Iron Energy Gym continues its defiance of public health orders, amassing more than $7,000 in fines as of Feb. 11, 2022.

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Interior Health has issued 21 tickets to a West Kelowna gym for each day the health authority found it to be open in violation of public health orders.

In its continued defiance of public health orders, Iron Energy Gym was given tickets of $345 each for 21 days between Jan. 4 and Feb. 11. 

Co-owner Brian Mark said Interior Health's decision to hand out backdated tickets was "shady," believing it challenged the gym's ability to dispute the tickets within the preset 30 day window.

An Interior Health spokesperson said the gym can dispute the tickets, however, within 30 days of the day they were dropped off. All 21 tickets to the gym on Feb. 11 amounting to a total $7,245.

READ MORE: West Kelowna gym still holds business licence despite closure order

When asked what further measures it can take as the gym chooses to dispute tickets and remain open, Interior Health did not respond.

The gym was also handed an order to close from Interior Health on Feb. 3 after the health authority deemed Iron Energy a health hazard.

That order was given after Interior Health received complaints the gym was not checking for proof of vaccination or enforcing masks in the facility.

Mark told iNFOnews.ca that Iron Energy had been following all other public health orders in early January, but he later made statements to social media saying that the gym would not "discriminate," indicating that proof of vaccinations were not being checked and there was no intention to start.

These statements to social media contributed to Interior Health's decision to hand the gym a closure order on Feb. 3.

When asked why he had lied about the gym's enforcement of public health orders, Mark said it was all part of a strategy.

"There's a different time to speak our truth. For us we weren't ready to handle the attention yet," he said. 

The gym owners focused on getting a "win" before admitting that proof of vaccination and mask enforcement was not followed before and wouldn't be in the future. Mark said he has no regrets.

Castanet published on Jan. 20 that Iron Energy planned to follow public health orders, and Mark stated the gym would not follow health orders on social media later the same day.

"I get why you wouldn't want to trust me," he said. "We did what we needed to to keep our gym open."

He added that while COVID-19 restrictions appear to be lifting, Iron Energy isn't planning on implementing any of the restrictions temporarily.

"I think that asking for people's medical records is very wrong. I think I've felt that since day one," he said.

READ MORE: Indoor dancing and socializing set to return in B.C. as COVID restrictions eased: health officials

Iron Energy's battle with public health orders began in early January after the Province ordered that fitness facilities had to temporarily close. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said gyms can be a transmission "amplifier" for COVID-19, and the temporary measure was taken to suppress the highly transmissible Omicron variant.

The gym remained open and even had its business license pulled for its open defiance of the order, but it was later given back by the City of West Kelowna once the temporary measure was ended by provincial health authorities.

The gym also received a $2,300 ticket for violating the closure order in January and Mark said the gym disputed that ticket and has not yet heard anything further.

Despite the fines, the gym continues to operate without enforcing public health orders.

iNFOnews.ca reached out to the City of West Kelowna for comment but it did not respond in time for publication.

B.C. is reducing capacity restrictions on events and certain indoor settings tomorrow, Feb. 16, but proof of vaccination and mask mandates will remain in effect, which includes fitness facilities.

READ MORE: Why booster shots are important if you don’t want to get COVID

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