As part of our series on local merchants, it’s impossible not to mention Verdun Fitness, formerly known as Énergie Cardio, a gym that’s been a staple on Wellington Street for over 20 years. At the head of this institution, Pierre-Olivier Dumoulin, co-owner and manager, shares with us his story and his very special relationship with this gym that has become emblematic of the neighborhood.

Marquee and facade, soon to be renamed Verdun Fitness.

What you need to know is that Pierre-Olivier has long been immersed in the world of gyms. As a student in kinesiology and physical rehabilitation, he worked part-time in an Énergie Cardio, and it didn’t take long for this student job to turn into a vocation.

At just 26, with his partner Marko Bianchi, he opened his own Énergie Cardio franchise. A daring gamble at the time: they chose to set up shop on rue Wellington, in a Verdun that was very different from the one we know today, a neighborhood then in full transition.

 “I had a feeling that the neighborhood was going to change, despite what people said at first,” confides Pierre-Olivier. His intuition proved to be right. Today, as Verdun has blossomed into a dynamic and effervescent neighborhood, Verdun Fitness holds a special place as one of only two gyms in the area.  

FROM SCREENINGS TO TRAINING

The space where fitness enthusiasts gather had several vocations before becoming a gym. It previously housed a Laser Quest in the 90s, but long before that, it was a cinema between 1916 and 1985, the Verdun Palace, later renamed Odeon Verdun, when “going to the movies” was the social activity of choice in Montreal.

The common denominator of all these occupations? All have been social, cultural or sporting gathering places for the community.

Even before entering Verdun Fitness, the traces of its past as a screening room can be seen in the imposing marquee that still overlooks the entrance today.

Four years after opening, the partners were offered the chance to purchase the building, which was in need of major renovation. Keen to preserve this cultural heritage while optimizing its space for a gym, Pierre-Olivier gradually added a mezzanine with treadmills on the second floor, from the top of which it’s easy to imagine the configuration of the space when it was first built.

What’s more, the former projection room has even been converted into a spinning room!

Salle de spinning actuelle du Verdun Fitness

A POWERFUL PATH TO SELF-RELIANCE

Verdun Fitness hasn’t always had a smooth ride. Like many other gyms, the COVID-19 pandemic was a real challenge. However, Pierre-Olivier and his team were able to cope. “We decided not to do what everyone else was doing, but to follow our instincts,” he explains. A strategy that paid off, because after this difficult period, the gym is in even better shape than before!

Today, no longer bound by the constraints of the Énergie Cardio franchise, Verdun Fitness operates 100% independently. With this new start, the gym now bears a new name, and soon, after some renovation work, it will be open 24 hours a day. An enlarged space, new machines and an equally friendly atmosphere await members, whether novices or experienced enthusiasts.

A PILLAR OF THE COMMUNITY

When asked what he’s most proud of, Pierre-Olivier replies: “Believing in the neighborhood, even in 2001. And to see it all happen today,” he adds, as he scans the room, stars in his eyes.

Seeing him greeted by the many people who were training there when we visited, and who enthusiastically share their progress with him, it’s easy to see why this gym has made such a name for itself over the years: it’s a story of passion and community.

And that’s something to be proud of, indeed!

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