Esporta Fitness in South Windsor to close
May 31—SOUTH WINDSOR — Evergreen Walk's Esporta Fitness, recently rebranded from LA Fitness, will shut its doors at the end of June.
CLUB CLOSURE
WHEN: The Esporta Fitness at Evergreen Walk in South Windsor is scheduled to close by the end of June. The company did not provide a specific reason for the closure.
WHERE: Current members will be able to use their memberships at other Esporta Fitness or LA Fitness locations across the state, including at clubs in Farmington and Newington.
Jason Dailey, a representative for Fitness International LLC, which owns the Esporta Fitness and LA Fitness brands, said Friday that the company plans to close the fitness club at 100 Cedar Ave.
"All members were notified that their membership access will be expanded to allow use at all of our clubs in the state of Connecticut, including our club at 1600 Southeast Road in nearby Farmington," Dailey said.
The Esporta Fitness in Farmington is roughly 16 miles from the soon-to-be-closed South Windsor club, and the LA Fitness at 3563 Berlin Tpke. in Newington is about 17 miles away.
The company launched its Esporta Fitness clubs in 2020, rebranding some LA Fitness locations. The South Windsor club, originally under the LA Fitness brand, was ultimately rebranded to Esporta Fitness this year.
"It has been a privilege serving and assisting the South Windsor community pursue their fitness goals," Dailey said.
Sandy Wood of Manchester, a longtime member of the club, said Monday morning that members were devastated by the announcement of the closure, as the fitness center had fostered a tight-knit community since it opened its doors.
"It's worse than a divorce because you're not just losing one person, you're losing your entire network," Wood said, adding that some of her closest friends come from her time at the club.
Wood said the area doesn't have any real alternatives, and the Farmington and Newington locations aren't options for many members of the South Windsor club due to the distance.
"I look at some of the people that it has done so much for, where will they go?" Wood said.
"They'll stay in their homes, they'll age, they'll deteriorate, they'll give up working out," she added.
Wood said she felt that the closure was not planned, as the business recently purchased new signage and started a SilverSneakers program for seniors in the past few weeks.
The company did not provide a specific reason for the closure.
Dailey said employees of the South Windsor club will be provided roles at other locations or new work opportunities from the company.
Wood said friends of hers who are fitness instructors at the South Windsor club are having trouble finding opportunities at other LA Fitness or Esporta Fitness locations because of a lack of space.
Joseph covers East Hartford and South Windsor. He joined the JI in July 2021. Joseph graduated from the University of Connecticut and he is an avid guitarist and coffee enthusiast.
