Owners of Iron Energy Gym posted signs on Interior Health's building on Doyle Avenue in Kelowna.
Image Credit: INSTAGRAM/ironenergygym
February 19, 2022 - 2:31 PM
The co-owner of a West Kelowna gym who defied public health orders says it will remain open to customers, despite a court injunction to enforce its closure.
Yesterday, Feb. 18, Interior Health was granted an injunction by the B.C. Supreme Court Justice to enforce the closure of Iron Energy Gym, which received numerous fines and orders to close in the last few weeks for refusing to check vaccine passports or enforce mask use. Gym owners said via social media they paid for their legal fees through a GoFundMe.
Gym owners first refused to close Iron Energy's doors when the province implemented a temporary order due to rising COVID-19 cases in December, which sparked the gym's outspoken defiance of the orders.
Eventually, its owners admitted to not checking for proof of vaccines for its members, along with not enforcing mask requirements. All orders were in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Iron Energy Gym's operators risk arrest if they open the doors in violation of public health orders.
READ MORE: Interior Health granted injunction to enforce closure order for West Kelowna gym
In an Instagram story, co-owner Brian Mark said the gym will remain open.
“We are going to continue to stand and they’re going to keep coming… because that’s what they do,” he said.
He said they also plan on countering the closure order in court.
Interior Health can apply to extend the order if it wishes, but the order will continue for now until either public health orders are followed or the six-month term ends.
Earlier this week, gym owners also posted “Free B.C.” signs and a Canadian flag on the front of Interior Health’s doors on Doyle Avenue, in a response to Interior Health officials posting closure orders on the gym’s doors.
“We got our own message to remind Interior Health, that is what we’re here for,” Mark said in an Instagram video.
The Kelowna RCMP and City of West Kelowna did not immediately return a request for comment. Interior Health said via email it was “monitoring the situation” when asked whether it would follow up with additional enforcement measures. Iron Energy Gym could not be immediately reached for comment.
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