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Saturday, June 27, 2009

New fees squeeze Vancouver's outdoor fitness operators

An outdoor boot camp instructor oversees a class in Vancouver Friday.An outdoor boot camp instructor oversees a class in Vancouver Friday. (CBC)

Vancouver's outdoor fitness operators say the city is making it harder for them to hold sessions in the city's parks.

After a recent decision by the Vancouver Park Board, outdoor workout programs, like bootcamps and yoga classes, will now require licences to operate at local beaches and green spaces.

Antonio Zivanovic, who runs an outdoor Vancouver fitness company, said the fee is bad for business.

"The fee that's associated with it makes it difficult because it is a business…[where] the margins are very tight. [It] makes it difficult for