To all our GCGC families,

It is with heavy hearts that GCGC must announce, after 44 incredible years of serving Ottawa as a non-profit community gymnastics club, we will be permanently closing our doors as of the end of business, February 28, 2019.

We apologize for this late notice. We began the year with intention to continue operations until the end of June as always, but given our current fiscal situation, we are forced to close before the beginning of next month. This is in order to ensure GCGC does not incur any unresolvable debt. Although our love for gymnastics and the community has only grown stronger throughout the years, enrolment has been steadily shrinking and we can no longer sustain operations of a gym of this size.

Many of our athletes and some of the GCGC coaches will be continuing the year at Les Sittelles Gymnastics Club. Established in 1980, Les Sittelles is a non-profit organization and the only francophone club in the region. Their coaches are bilingual and all GCGC families are welcome. You are encouraged to register there for the Spring session and they can be reached by telephone at (613) 830-5098 or e- mail at info@sittelles.ca (or admin@sittelles.ca) or in person at their facility located at 785 Taylor Creek Drive, in Orleans https://www.sittelles.ca/index.php/en/.

The GCGC Executive would like to show our profound appreciation for Pat Norris, who founded GCGC in 1976. It was through her inspiration that for the last 44 years, thousands of gymnasts came to GCGC to improve their self-esteem, social skills and physical fitness. Without her vision, dedication and tireless effort none of this would have been possible. Her impact on the community has been felt across multiple generations of gymnasts and families.

We would also like to take this opportunity to thank our amazing coaches and staff at GCGC, who made GCGC so much more than just a club for our athletes and their families: they made it a home. Their love for gymnastics and for the community was evident every day as we watched our children bound into the gym with excitement and an ever-growing love of the sport. It is a testament to their hard work and encouragement that GCGC athletes never wanted to leave the gym after class was over.

In addition, we must take a moment to recognize the incredible contribution of Brian Leblanc who coached at GCGC for over 33 years. If GCGC was a home, Brian was its heart. Brian embodied everything GCGC strove to instill in our athletes. He was incredibly generous with his time, his support, and his wisdom. Brian always had the best advice, on matters both in and out of the gym. His work ethic was unsurpassed, and if you ever had the privilege of watching him coach, you saw that he gave the same focus and attention to every athlete whether he was helping a novice perfect a cartwheel or a level-8 gymnast master a Yurchenko. Brian made sure that all GCGC athletes felt they were special and that they could do anything they put their minds to. Thank you Brian, for making GCGC the special place it was.

Most importantly, we would like to thank you, parents and athletes, and all the families who have supported GCGC since 1976. It would not have been possible without your participation and the support of the community.

If you have questions, please e-mail us at info@gcgc.ca and we will make every effort to provide you with the information you need to help make this transition as seamless as possible.

Thank you for your understanding.

Wishing you all the best, with heavy hearts we say farewell.

GCGC Executive Board