Late in 2019, Squash Ontario received a phone call from Melissa Goldmintz-Shah looking for squash equipment to borrow to help with her newly renovated and re-launched gym that had one squash court in the Blue Mountains. This was an exciting phone call to finish off the 2019 busy squash year and to welcome a new club into the Squash Ontario family before year’s end.
Melissa and her husband Gautam Shah moved from Toronto to the Blue Mountains (Melissa’s home town) in December 2018 when they purchased a home with a gym attached to it! The building was previously operated under the names Adele's Aquatics, Georgian Health Centre, and Valley Health Club and Pool, and was primarily used for community swimming lessons. About four months of construction and renovations, the facility now has a fresh new look and feel and Lemonade Collective was officially opened in November 2019.
Inspired by a child's lemonade stand and the values it teaches, the Lemonade Collective branding was born with the three core values; Goal Setting, Positivity, and Welcoming Environment. If you take one look at their social media pages, you’ll get the idea. Lemonade Collective is home to a Salt-Water Swimming Pool, Squash Court, Boutique Gym, Fitness Studio (where Fitness Classes and Workshops are held), Members Lounge/Event Space.
Lemonade Collective now has over 30 active squash players and offers lessons and junior programs thanks to resident squash pro and frequent masters squash tournament player Brian Waddington. They hope to add more squash programming in the future, as well as put together competitions and events. Feel free to reach out to them if you have any creative event ideas using one squash court!
Please join us in welcoming Lemonade Collective to the Squash Ontario community, and make sure to drop by for a visit next time you are in the area!
