Toowoomba's Best Gyms with CrecheAs a parent, there's a lot to be said for the chance to enjoy a workout while your little one plays nearby - somewhere safe and fun.
I've sussed out which gyms in Toowoomba have a quality childcare creche.
Regular exercise makes it easier to be a better parent (Photo by www.localfitness.com.au - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0,https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7824006) - Herries St, across from the library
Go here for - The pool, spacious creche
You have your choice of pools here - a 25m indoor heated pool and a 50m outdoor heated pool. Plus a spa and sauna.
The gym itself is nothing flash. It has the equipment you'd expect and a view of the pool downstairs but felt a little cramped.
There's an okay group fitness timetable of 37 classes per week, including aqua classes, boot camp and yoga.
Milne Bay offers what could be the nicest creche in town. It has a large indoor area and an outdoor area too, and staff there seemed experienced, warm and friendly. The creche is open on weekday mornings.
While the creche isn't cheap, your workout is reasonably priced and you can visit casually.
Example costs
Creche - 10 hours (1 to 2 hours per visit) $35.00 per child.
Gym or Group Fitness - 10 visits for $110
Ongoing memberships offer good value for frequent users.
Ruthven St, in the Bernoth Centre
Go here for - A female community
Fernwood is known for creating a welcoming, supportive environment for women of all ages, shapes and fitness levels.
Fernwood's signature perks - free breakfast, tea, coffee, shampoo - do come at a cost. There's a hefty joining fee and an activation fee when you sign up. They do offer zero joining fee at various times and for various reasons (such as to members of the
defence forces).
The gym floor has a nice open feel and two group fitness rooms allow them to offer 71 classes a week. (I was inaccurately assured they have the biggest range of classes in Toowoomba and although this is no longer true, they come close.)
If you want to do your own weights program beware that the serious weights are in a restricted area for use with personal trainers only.
The creche itself is pretty squishy and didn't appeal but I have heard mostly good reports from mums who used it. Their male staff member is a rarity in child care these days but might make a nice change for kids without many men in their lives.
Creche operates morning and evening on weekdays. They don't change nappies - you'll be called in from your workout to do it.
It's also worth noting this was the only place in Toowoomba where I got the hard sell, including being pressured to sign up on the spot or risk losing certain benefits.
Costs
Creche - included in membership, but book a week ahead
Basic membership with no contract - $30 a week
18 month contract - $23 a week
- James St, behind Godfreys
Go here for - Weekend creche, a beautifully renovated gym, women's only area
The Fit Lab has been recently renovated and is looking good. Their creche is just big enough but it is attractive - clean, bright and well laid out. There's a huge gym floor and a large separate area for women only.
Thanks to their 4 group fitness studios, the Fit Lab currently wins the award for the gym with creche that has the biggest range of classes - 80 per week. The range includes Les Mills favourites (Body Attack, Pump, RPM, Step and Balance), various high intensity boxing and HIIT classes, and a separate studio for their pilates, yoga, and barre classes.
The creche operates on weekdays morning and evenings, and is the only one I found with creche available on a Saturday. The gym has 24-hour access.
Costs
Creche - 10 visits for $35
Gym plus unlimited creche - $30 a week
Upfront fee - $55 to the direct debit company
- Kitchener St, between Lake Annand and Queens Park
Go here for - An indoor pool
Along with Milne Bay, Willows is the other place that offers a pool with their gym.
Willows offers a nice range of classes with more than 50 across the week, in their group fitness studio, pool and cycle studio.
The gym floor has room to move around and plenty of equipment. The treadmill area looks out over East Creek.
The creche is a nice size, open weekday mornings.
Cost
Creche - $2 per child per visit
Membership - $19/week, no lock in contract
- Produce lane, near Russell St
Go here for - Group fitness with kids in tow
Although it's not a gym or a creche, Kylie's classes do get a good rap around town.
There's a play area but no supervision, so you're still looking after your kids while you exercise, rather than getting true "me" time.
www.facebook.com/kyliesfitness
USQ Works
Location - At the University of Southern Queensland, south-western Toowoomba
Go here for - (NO CRECHE) Convenience to your work or study at USQ
Although their website talked about the creche at the time of writing, there is NO creche anymore.
If you still want to visit, here are the casual costs:
10 visit pass - $49 for 10 visits.
When comparing prices, make sure you add any upfront costs to the weekly cost (i.e. an upfront cost of $350 = an extra $6.70 per week.)
Also, calculate the true cost of the creche by multiplying the number of times you'll visit by the number of kids you'll bring (i.e. 3 visits/week with 2 kids at $2 each = $12 a week).
It's a good idea to visit places in person to get a feel for them.
Bottom line: The best gym for you is the one you think you'll actually visit. Because the most expensive gym membership is one you don't use.
Please note that these reviews reflect my personal experiences on the days I visited these gyms. Prices are those I was quoted at the time. Group fitness timetables occasionally change.
