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Although Lake Fitness has closed its doors, it will soon be replaced by a new and larger gym.

Anytime Fitness, a national gym chain with 1,200 locations in the U.S., recently announced that it will open a franchise in the former location of Lake Fitness at 1010 S. U.S. Highway 169 sometime next year.

According to Mark Daly, National Media Director for Anytime Fitness, the franchise will be owned and operated by Sonya Price and should be up an running sometime around January, just in time for the New Year’s resolutions crowd.

But, before the gym can open, Price said the location is undergoing renovations to increase the space from about 2,600 square feet to about 4,200 square feet to accommodate for more equipment and a different layout.

Price, an Anytime Fitness patron, said she got the idea to start a franchise while working out at an Anytime Fitness in the area.

“I worked out at the Anytime Fitness in Kearney and one night I was working out and thought, ‘how great would it be to own my own business and get people started living a healthy lifestyle?’” she said.

Price said she was looking for real estate in Smithville for the gym and the Lake Fitness location popped up on the market and it just seemed like a perfect spot.

“I hope to open the beginning of this year,” she said. “I look forward to being a part of the community and promoting a healthy lifestyle.”

The Smithville franchise, when open, Daily said, will add to the company’s growing presence in the region with gyms already established in Kearney, Platte City, Liberty and Excelsior Springs. So far, Daly said Anytime Fitness has about 50 gyms in Missouri with ten more expected to come online within the next year.

The Smithville location, like the rest of the gyms in Anytime Fitness’ network, will be open to members 24 hours a day with the use of a security card, although staff will only be on hand about 40 hours a week.

While Anytime Fitness allows its franchises to set their own membership fees, Price said she had not determined what the fees will be at the Smithville location.

For more information on the new gym or the other franchises, visit Anytime Fitness’ Web site at www.anytimefitness.com.

Staff writer Michael Westblade can be reached at 389-6636 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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