After a long year and a half, Les Vegas is set to reopen the Powell River Boxing Club in its new location at Oceanview Education Centre.
“We got a really nice place up at Oceanview and I’ve got the green light to go ahead on it,” said Vegas. “I’ve got all the masks and everything else that the kids can wear. The phone has been ringing off the hook. A lot of the youngsters that I’ve been teaching want to get back at it. They’re phoning every day and so I promised them that we would fire up in September and here we are.”
Opening day will be Wednesday, September 8, and then the gym at 7105 Nootka Street will be open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 4 pm until everybody goes home, said Vegas.
“We’ve been moving from one spot to another because I can’t afford to pay rent since I don’t charge anything,” he added. “I got lucky with the school board; they let me have the old music rooms. Jay Yule from the school board has been on our side and let us have the premises for no money at all. It’s good stuff.”
The gym is a place for people looking to lose weight, gain muscle, or eventually compete in amateur boxing competitions, according to Vegas. It contains multiple heavy bags, speed bags, gyro balls, skipping ropes and various weight training and sparring equipment.
Vegas’ students are usually in their early teens because he said that is the best time to teach them proper form, he said. Powell River’s Trystan Burke, who competes in the light heavyweight category and trains with Vegas, was named the best fighter in British Columbia last year.
Vegas said he has had great turnouts over the years and is looking forward to the new permanent location.
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