Our History

The VI Fitness Story

VI Fitness Centres started in 1993 when Dave Cormier decided to get involved in the fitness business. With an extensive 20 year background in fitness it seemed like a natural progression for Dave to move into the field. The first club acquired  was located in the downtown area of Victoria in August of 1993. Over the next two years the club was extensively remodelled and turned into a going business concern tripling the size of it's membership.

In November of 1995 the second club and our initial foray into women's fitness came into being when we purchased a women’s fitness facility located on Oak Bay Ave in Victoria. With an extensive 20 + year history VI Fitness for Women in Oak Bay is currently Victoria's longest running fitness center. An extensive remodel followed more than doubling the size of the previous facility to 11,000 sq. ft. making it the Island’s largest and best equipped women’s fitness facility.

We continued the pattern of growth in 1997 when the company acquired a Co-Ed club located on Oldfield Road out on the Saanich Peninsula. Once again the club was extensively remodelled and refitted turning it into a successful fitness facility. Less than a year later the second women’s club was added to the Peninsula location above the Co-Ed club by amalgamating some of their services making the Peninsula facility at approx 16,500 sq. ft. Victoria's largest fitness centre.

In April of 1998 we expanded into Nanaimo by acquiring a women’s club located in the Northbrook Mall. Replacing all the old equipment with brand new gave the club a much needed facelift and a rejuvenated life. Over the next three years the clubs ran beautifully while new systems were being put into place to help the clubs run as efficiently as possible while still allowing the company to grow.

In April 2001 we embarked on our next venture by purchasing a women’s facility in Campbell River. In keeping with the previous methodology the Campbell River club was extensively remodeled and expanded turning it into a going concern.

Opportunity knocked in 2001 when a 20,000 square foot site became available in Nanaimo opening the door for a large co-ed facility. In August of 2001 the Nanaimo co-ed club was opened and the women’s club moved onto the site as well creating the Islands largest and best equipped fitness centre featuring the latest in state of the art equipment and fitness programs.

In January of 2004 we embarked on a new journey changing all our club names to VI Fitness Centres and  building our own brand. We are truly an Island owned company and it seemed only fitting. Sometimes the best names are the most logical.

July of 2004 saw us take another step when we opened our seventh club, VI Fitness for Women in the Comox Valley. Once again in keeping with our format the club is beautiful and extremely well equipped setting the standard we're known for.

As of October 2006 our eight location, VI Fitness for Women in the Westshore located at 947 Langford Parkway across from the Westshore Mall is NOW OPEN!  This club is a 10,000 square foot women’s facility with the latest and greatest in top of the line fitness equipment and group fitness classes.

In addition to the ongoing expansions within the company, the Cormier family did some expanding of their own. They welcomed their first child in December 2006 with the birth of their baby girl. And in more recent history, are now pleased to announce the birth of their baby boy in June 2009.

As of October 31st 2009, the expansions continue, as we have now acquired our ninth & tenth locations in the University Heights shopping centre, VI Fitness and VI Fitness For Women. The approximately 20,000 square foot club is being retrofitted to continue the ongoing VI Fitness trend of beautiful facilities with top of the line fitness equipment. With all of the positive changes being made to the facility, this will no doubt be Victoria’s flagship fitness location.