News that Tennant Creek’s only gym is set to close at the end of the year has local fitness and wellbeing fans up in arms.

Anyinginyi Health Aboriginal Corporation’s Sports and Recreation Centre announced it will shut its doors permanently on 24 December.

Anyinginyi CEO Barb Shaw spoke with the Tennant Times yesterday about the closure and expressed how the decision was hard but necessary.

“Anyinginyi has been at the heart of sport and recreation in Tennant Creek for most of its 37-year history,” she said.

“We first started offering sport and rec because in those days there were really no opportunities for Aboriginal people in the town.

“‘Anyinginyi is extremely proud of the role of the organisation in the towns sports and major events like the Rossy Williams Shield’.”

Ms Shaw said the closure decision was about the organisation refocussing on the urgent need to address health outcomes for Aboriginal people in the Barkly.

“Anyinginyi has a leadership role in the COVID-19 vaccine rollout on top of the challenges to close the gap in preventing and treating our high levels of diabetes, kidney disease and other illness,” she said.

Ms Shaw said fitness activities will still be available and run through the Anyinginyi Public Health section but with a tighter focus on prevention and management of chronic disease.

“Nowadays there are a lot more sporting programs and emphasis on healthy lifestyles at the local government level,” Ms Shaw said.

The first Anyinginyi Sport and Rec facility was in Standley Street. The NT government did a land swap so the facility could relocate to Purkiss Reserve.

Anyinginyi built and owns the iconic building at Purkiss Reserve but not the land which the government later handed to Barkly Regional Council.

“Barkly Regional Council really are in the perfect place to deliver sports and recreation; they are already doing a lot in this area,” said Ms Shaw.

“With the new Barkly Sports Hub coming online, the facility is an ideal base for local clubs and program providers. It’s got plenty of office and storage space as well as the fully equipped gym.”

Ms Shaw said after-school activities and social sports programs will no longer be delivered by Anyinginyi but new opportunities are coming with the Youth Justice Facility funded under the Barkly Regional Deal.

“I want to thank the many people in Tennant Creek who have supported and been part of Anyinginyi Sport and Rec in the last four decades,” said Ms Shaw.

“It will be great if another provider steps in and we can negotiate a transfer of the facilities and programs, but that’s up to the town and the Council ultimately to decide.”

Local gym goer Kym Lenoble has organised a community meeting next Tuesday in the hopes to find a solution.

“When I arrived in Tennant Creek I was looking for a new start, a place to get my life together and sort out my priorities,” he said.

“The gym helped me cope with the extreme change of moving from Sydney to remote Australia.

“Even when I stopped using the gym for a good year, the knowledge it was there kept me in check and ready to return to my fitness goals when I was in the head space to do it.

“Now I’m finally back to my routine and there is a foreseeable closure, it’s devastating.

“Part of going to the gym is the destination of having to get there, knowing you’re not doing it alone and using that collective experience to motivate yourself and each other.”

Mr Lenoble said he organised the meeting is to show that a shutdown of the gym, even for a short period of time, would have drastic consequences for those who use it as a reason to keep fighting.

“I hope the meeting will raise awareness about how important of a role the gym has in the Tennant Creek community and show how big of an opportunity it is for one of our organisations to take on the challenge and make it an even better offering moving forward,” he said.

Barkly MLA Steve Edgington said a solution could lie with the Barkly Regional Deal.

“My vision for the $78.4 million Barkly Regional Deal has always been that all three levels of government work together with Aboriginal organisations, the non-government sector, business, young people and key stakeholders to provide a collaborative and coordinated approach towards the delivery of social, economic and cultural outcomes for the Barkly,” he said.

“With a Governance Table in place to implement the 28 initiatives under the Barkly Regional Deal I would like to see the future of sports and recreation for the Barkly considered in the context of these initiatives and the upgrade of Purkiss Reserve at the next meeting to determine the best way forward and, after proper community consultation, a plan that will maintain and enhance the health and wellbeing for our residents.”

Mr Edgington said Anyinginyi has made a massive contribution to sports and recreation and after-school activities for many years and thanked the board of directors and workers involved during that time.

The community meeting will be held at 9am on Tuesday 12 October at Jajjikari Café.

This article appeared in Tennant & District Times, 8 October 2021.