[IbnMardhiyah]

Alright folks. I need practically everyone on Islamica to put in their two cents on this one. I know everyone has something to say on this, so lemme hear it!

Please answer the questions in the format presented. Non-compliant or off-topic posts will be met with deletion requests, for the mods to carry out at their discretion.

Background: A consulting group has been tasked with a project that involves constructing a multi-purpose facility for Muslim families and the youth. It may be used for team and league sports such as basketball and floor-hockey, volleyball and tennis, and so on. It may also have a swimming pool, gym, and more. It may also have a lounge area with a bar [Absolut Halal of course] with pool tables and big-screen TVs, old-skool style arcade room, etc. Private party rooms, etc.

Segregated / private facilities will be available.

*** LADIES: I specifically want to hear from you too. ***

Questions:

1) How often would you use this facility specifically for sports / working out in the gym / swimming?
a) once a week
b) Upto three times a week
c) More than three times a week

2) Assuming some of the facilities - such as the gym, the ball courts, etc were membership-fee based, how much would you be willing to pay?
a) Upto $30 /month
b) Upto $25/month
c) I would pay a lump sum amount for package deals that give me 1-yr, 3-yr or 5-yr memberships at a time. Please state which of the term lengths you would likely choose.

3) How far would you drive to use, or hangout at, such a facility?
a) 5 minutes or less.
b) 15 minutes or less.
c) Up to 20 minutes or more.

4) General comment / essay question: - Assuming finance and space are not a problem [unlimited] what would you like to also see at this facility? Whether family based, general, womens-only, etc.
Just spit it out. This question is for all those times you wished there was a facility that had "this kinda service" or "that kinda room" . Cafeteria. Womens' salon. Small theater. Bowling alley. What would be that one killer service / function at such a facility that would make you wanna come back over and over again? WHATEVER. Just write it up and lemme hear it.

Thanks to all in advance.

Please stay on topic.

[heba]

there is a new youth club thingy at one of our mosqes here. they have girls time and boys time. they have a wii, big tv, pool table i think, fusball (sp?), basketball courts, etc...

charged a very small fee.
the girls time isusually just a few people. ive never been. but apparently the boys time fills up quite a bit.

SO. thats what happened here. im not gunna answer your multiple choice questions cuz i know i would never go lol. just lettin ya know wasssuppp

[IbnMardhiyah]

Originally Posted by heba

there is a new youth club thingy at one of our mosqes here. they have girls time and boys time. they have a wii, big tv, pool table i think, fusball (sp?), basketball courts, etc...

Yeah, I saw it. I told you I checked it out last time I was in town. But its much, much smaller than what this group is aiming for.

SO. thats what happened here. im not gunna answer your multiple choice questions cuz i know i would never go lol. just lettin ya know wasssuppp

You've never paid to go to Curves, or Premier Fitness, etc?

[heba]

you didnt tell me lol. anyway yeah, i never been. i knew it was small though.

and yes, i had a membership at goodlife payin 50$ a month..now im at a new gym paying $20. but because of school and spendin all day here and bein busy as hell with exams, i dont go as much as id like to. so i definately wouldnt go back to payin 50$ a month for a facility i dont use that much.

[IbnMardhiyah]

Originally Posted by heba

and yes, i had a membership at goodlife payin 50$ a month..now im at a new gym paying $20. but because of school and spendin all day here and bein busy as hell with exams, i dont go as much as id like to. so i definately wouldnt go back to payin 50$ a month for a facility i dont use that much.

Yeah $50 for a poor starving student is insane. $20 is alright - so that's what you would pay if the rec centre was all that.

How far would you drive for it? Assuming your friends also go there to work-out or just chill and shoot the shizz.

[heba]

Originally Posted by IbnMardhiyah

Yeah $50 for a poor starving student is insane. $20 is alright - so that's what you would pay if the rec centre was all that.

How far would you drive for it? Assuming your friends also go there to work-out or just chill and shoot the shizz.

i just told you i wouldnt go. my friends are mostly non-muslim, so they wouldnt go either. so basically i wouldnt walk down the street to get there

[heba]

and im not gunna lie i dont like going to muslim events/hangouts. because its segregated and then all the kids get thrown onto the womens side and i cant stand children. especially muslim children who are EXTREMELY bad. all they do is run around and scream and yell and be damn annoying.

and no, a daycare would not solve that problem because these kinda kids dont like daycare. they start screaming and crying for their mommys and then theyre all back to annoyin the hell outta me.

[IbnMardhiyah]

Originally Posted by heba

i just told you i wouldnt go. my friends are mostly non-muslim, so they wouldnt go either. so basically i wouldnt walk down the street to get there

btw, although they will be marketing to primarily to the Muslim community in the GTA area (over 400,000 strong), they wont be limiting the use of facilities to just Muslims. If non-Muslims wanna come and hang out, and follow certain rules [no smoking, alcohol, etc] then they can come.

Originally Posted by heba

and im not gunna lie i dont like going to muslim events/hangouts. because its segregated and then all the kids get thrown onto the womens side and i cant stand children.

lol

I don't think this is like that, at all.

[heba]

whatever
still wouldnt go. i like my current hangouts. which are my friends house, my house, riverside, starbucks, and...yeah thats about it. haha.

places liek this are sorta pointless to me. no sense in payin a membership fee for a facility that has things i barely use anyhow. i can go to a poolhall, a restaurant for food, the movies when i wana watch a movie, i go bowlin once in a blue moon, theres a gym at my uni, and i hate indoor swimming pools.

SO. basically...you didnt want my opinion on this at all hahaha

[sally]

Originally Posted by IbnMardhiyah

1) How often would you use this facility specifically for sports / working out in the gym / swimming?
a) once a week
b) Upto three times a week
c) More than three times a week[/b]

For swimming, thrice a week or more. For tennis/badminton/other sports, twice a week. Working out, I personally wouldn't use it because I'd like to be more involved with my main gym because of my interest in the industry blah blah. but my opinion would amount to that of less than a percentage of Muslim females so scratch it because I know plenty of Muslim women who would love the idea of a Muslim females / segregated facility such as you've described.

2) Assuming some of the facilities - such as the gym, the ball courts, etc were membership-fee based, how much would you be willing to pay?
[/b]a) Upto $30 /month
b) Upto $25/month
c) I would pay a lump sum amount for package deals that give me 1-yr, 3-yr or 5-yr memberships at a time. Please state which of the term lengths you would likely choose.

There should be family packages available, as well as individual payment programs I think. Also there should be an option for one to buy a gym membership ONLY as well as of course, one for people who want to buy a membership for all of the facilities combined that need to be paid for.
I think in the beginning you'll begin to attract a lot of women to the gym and kids to the kiddy area, so you need to keep the option of being able to purchase those two packages separately.

For the gym, $30 a month is good inclusive of a free personal training session per month, and unlimited access to all and any group classes.

3) How far would you drive to use, or hangout at, such a facility?
a) 5 minutes or less.
b) 15 minutes or less.
c) Up to 20 minutes or more.

15 minutes or less

4) General comment / essay question: - Assuming finance and space are not a problem [unlimited] what would you like to also see at this facility? Whether family based, general, womens-only, etc.
Just spit it out. This question is for all those times you wished there was a facility that had "this kinda service" or "that kinda room" . Cafeteria. Womens' salon. Small theater. Bowling alley. What would be that one killer service / function at such a facility that would make you wanna come back over and over again? WHATEVER. Just write it up and lemme hear it.

In no particular order:

-An experienced personal trainer who could help guide the women w/ their fitness goals

-Swimming lessons / group swimming classes

-Group aerobic class instructors, experienced also. You can find women who teach belly dancing or salsa dancing for fitness, among many other fun things. But one sort of extra investment along with it is that you'll need a nice, big aerobics floor. (Also, you'll have extra people to pay and you'll need to find instructors to test the waters for the first few months to see how many people actually show up, what type of fitness classes are more in demand, what kinda audience to target. Oh and don't forget someone who can teach a group exercise session aimed at middle - late aged women. It's low impact stuff that's perfect for beginners. If you go ahead with something like that, make sure to schedule classes for older women during the morning hours (9-1) and for younger women and girls during the evening.

-Maybe one or more of the following, a spa / jacuzzi / hot tub / steam room / beauty salon / snack bar type food court place that actually has an actively functioning eatery for the peak hours when the place is packed with active & energetic people

Or a smoothie bar.

-Martial arts lesson for kids

[Arabesque]

Only for female Muslims in the West, yeah? I mean the questions.

[IbnMardhiyah]

No the questions are for both guys and girls. Everyone.

People from other places in the world can answer too. Feel free.

[sally]

A daycare for the very young kids is a must. Because then you'd increase the kind of people who use your facility by a good deal. And you could also have like two parents going out somewhere, who'd feel comfortable enough to drop their kids off to have fun at the community center. Maybe for the very young kids you could have like a daycare which is just kind of like individually supervised activities.. As in, the attendee of the kid takes the kid to whatever he or she feels like doing, going on the swings outside, etc and makes sure the kid stays safe. At the same time, the mom or older siblings won't have to be constantly bothered with taking care of the kid.

A musallah, I'm sure you already had that in mind.

Sewing/knitting classes for females. Believe me there are a lot of girls who'd love to learn this stuff except the places in any given area in the US anyway, which do teach sewing and knitting are like fabric department stores with weekend classes where you don't really find people your age. So in this type of facility, girls could hang out together.

Baking/cooking classes... kind of like with a small auditorium? An experienced cook could come in a few times a week and demonstrate something while people sat closeby.

I do realize all of this sounds like it's going to cost a crapload of $$$. Not all of which the average Muslim family is willing to contribute to.

[sally]

Did I mention an arcade?

Or maybe just a kind of computer lab type room where kids could easily indulge in multiplayer games. LAN PARTY!