The Tribune

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

A Grand Bahama fitness centre and gymnastics school has permanently closed after failing to pull- off the “miracle” needed to rebound from Hurricane Dorian’s destruction of its facilities and equipment.

Ewa Mellor, co-owner of Grand Bahama Gymnastics, told Tribune Business: “We never had support from anyone. We were trying to raise our own money, the Government never helped, ever.

“Dorian was the nail in the coffin, actually, because we were struggling before. Our local people were amazing and we kept them even though the parents couldn’t afford it. We were struggling with supporting the gymnastics itself. So we just made the decision to close it down and cease operations altogether.

“It’s heart-breaking, but we can’t do anything. We lost all of our equipment. We don’t have the building; we never owned it, we were renting. It’s just another day for everyone, and it’s just day-by-day.”

Ms Mellor said she could not capitalise on any insurance because the business was financed by loans, and these were not covered. She said: “Well, insurance didn’t even cover a quarter of the loan. You have to understand we had a loan and the insurance didn’t cover a quarter of the loan.”

The children that Ms Mellor used to train are now without facilities or instruction. They now have to seek training elsewhere, and most of them are in the US. Some parents do not have the money to support their children’s training, with COVID-19 making it extra challenging for some of her former students abroad to get back into training.

Ms Mellor said: “The children just want to train, but now they have to find the other sports. I think others need to join in and support to see what we can do, but it’s sort of hard on us. This is not easy, especially not seeing the children and teaching them how to grow.”

“But maybe one day a miracle would happen, and because I’m one who can invest the money and do all of that without blinking, we’ll come back.”