Repairs continue on gym's wind-damaged building

When winds of nearly 100 mph battered Silver State Fitness almost two weeks ago and forced the business to close while necessary repairs were made, it left the club's members without a way to feel the burn.

Mary Jo Brummer, a longtime member of Silver State Fitness, was among those in need of a new place to work out.

Brummer, a real estate agent with Re/Max, said she uses her workout as a way to relieve stress and stay healthy.

Then Eagle Fitness stepped up to the treadmill.

Eagle Fitness, normally a competitor with Silver State, offered to allow the gym's members a place to work out at a reduced price until repairs are completed on their regular gym.

"They are very generous to help out. When you need to work out to keep your stress level down, it's nice to have an alternative," Brummer said.

Eagle Fitness General Manager Nathen Hughes said he sympathizes with the situation Silver State Fitness' owners are in and realizes it could just as easily have been his family.

"We looked at it as where would we be if the same thing happened to us? In a heartbeat, your life's work could be wiped out," Hughes said.

Hughes said on average about seven Silver State Fitness members use their facilities on a daily basis.

"With other competition, that might see this as a way to steal members while Silver State Fitness is down, we just want to service their members and let them work out without an aggressive sales pitch," Hughes said.

Silver State Fitness owners Craig and Cindy McEwan were thankful their members had a place to exercise while the rebuilding process continued.

"For them to come in and step up at this critical time is just wonderful. We are just glad to have a good neighbor at a time like this," Mr. McEwan said.

McEwan said work continues on the Silver State building and he hopes to have it open again by March 1.

"The city jumped right in and has been very helpful," McEwan said.

City inspectors have looked at the damage and said a structural engineer needs to come up with a way to bring the parts of the building that were damaged up to code, McEwan said.

An exact estimate for the damage to the building will not be available until after the engineer completes a master plan for the building.

-- Contact reporter Jarid Shipley at jshipley@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1217.