Walker Ice and Fitness

There’s more to Walker Ice than what meets the eye. Known for its amazing ice skating rink and activities, the center also has an lengthy roster of community events, educational classes and activities for every member of the modern family.

What initially started out as a search for new equipment to replace two treadmills, soon became a facility overhaul with two phases, one presentation and 20 pieces of Freemotion innovation.

Residents in Walker, Michigan have come to Walker Ice and Fitness for years to learn, grow and connect. And because Walker Ice had invested in great fitness equipment years ago, everyone knew that the workout facility within the club was top notch.

However, what was once “state of the art” equipment soon became dated with continual use and wear and tear, and eventually the leaders at Walker Ice noticed they were spending a lot of money on machine repairs. Costly breakdowns and “Out of Order” machines were more than an inconvenience, they were increasingly costly.

Ultimately, the team decided that their money would be better spent investing in newer, more reliable machines. Sandie Van Beek, Fitness Manager, was very open to building a relationship with her Freemotion Territory Manager, Michele Carinini. Almost immediately, Sandi and Michele had a strong connection. Soon, Sandi began consulting Michele on everything from how the machines in their fitness center should be laid out to establishing a maintenance plan that would best serve the Walker Ice members.

Because any new equipment purchases had to be approved by the city and local government, Sandie’s Freemotion contact put together specs, plans and even a Powerpoint presentation to introduce Freemotion to key decision makers.

Ultimately, the Walker Ice proposal was approved and 10 Incline Trainers, five treadmills and five Freemotion ellipticals moved into the fitness center at Walker Ice. And, this is just phase one.

“Michele is so helpful; I couldn’t be any happier with Freemotion,” said Sandie. “We have several pieces of Freemotion but the Incline Trainers are the most popular at our facility,” Sandi says that because they run well and feel smooth, their entire member population enjoys using them. “Even older members like using them; the Incline Trainers are so versatile. They are definitely not your average treadmill.”

Sandie said that when the new Incline Trainers were installed, her Freemotion rep, not only made sure they were installed correctly, she even trained the staff at Walker Ice on how to use them. “We love the tablet console; I tell people that they shouldn’t just walk on these, they should use the map, use the incline.”