Flip Factory

“I promise myself…
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful expression at all times and give a smile to every living creature I meet.
To give so much time to improving myself that I have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.
To think well of myself and to proclaim this fact to the world, not in loud words, but in great deeds.
To live in the faith that the whole world is on my side, so long as I am true to the best that is in me”

Christian D. Larson (1874-1954)
The Optimist’s Creed

Wow! That's a tall order, but worth aspiring to. It has been a busy and intense two weeks. Our offer to lease a new space was rejected by the landlord as we aren't 'a conventional business'. Fair enough. For those of you who know Flip Factory, we aren't a conventional business or organization! One of my former staff members commented the other day: 'There's cutting and there's bleeding edge. Flip Factory is bleeding edge!' I'm determined to keep our movement going. The right space is out there, perhaps it needs to be built?! I'm not afraid to put skin in the game but need some support from the greater community. Thank you for continuing to read my posts and please keep sending those good vibes. There is a way to keep our gym going; we just need to figure it out. The world needs more Flip Factories.
Have a great day,
Darlene :)

I'm sitting here this morning at my kitchen table bawling my eyes out in gratitude and joy. Yesterday Taylor brought to my attention, an email that came in from Calgary's Child Magazine. It was a list of businesses and organizations recognized in their 27th Annual Parents' Choice Awards. Flip Factory shared the honor of 'Best Extra-curricular Programs for School-Aged Children' alongside City of Calgary Recreation and YMCA Calgary. I cannot even begin to describe the impact this has had on me with all that is happening right now. Over 40 Flip staff members were laid off after the incident in July. This award would not have been possible without those incredible people and the incredible people who came before them to help build Flip Factory into what it is today. Please help me keep this incredible organization going. With gratitude, Darlene

Hello Flip Factory Friends & Family,

I’m overwhelmed by your show of support for our gym and community. Thank you! Latest updates:
- Flip Factory’s insurer acknowledged the need for Flip to relocate even though there are 2 ½ years left on the lease.
- Landlord continues to charge full rent since the incident despite a rent abatement clause and legal intervention.
- Rent was increased on Aug. 1/23 and again Jan. 1/24.
- An offer to lease and deposit was put forth by Flip on a new space. The Development Permit Application is currently under review with the city.
- Last Monday, Flip reached out to four individuals to assist Madeline, Taylor and I in disassembling leasehold improvements that were specific to Flip. Miracles do happen! What has been accomplished in 6 days is awe inspiring.
Over the course of Flip’s 12-year tenancy, numerous leasehold improvements were made. A huge thank you and much gratitude to PC, SJ, DM among many others. The following leasehold improvements are not being removed:
- Complete upgrades to 5 existing washrooms including creation of one barrier-free washroom.
- Creation of 3 additional washrooms, 2 of which are barrier-free with showers to meet code.
- Installation of new stairwell leading from mezzanine to exterior to satisfy code requirements for having people use the mezzanine.
- Upgrading of fluorescent light fixtures throughout facility
- Two roll up fire doors separating bays 1 & 2 from bay 3.
- New engineered interior stairwell in bay 3.
- Re-built and reinforced ½ walls running the length of all 3 mezzanines.
- 4 new overhead Reznor furnaces to replace the original furnaces from the early 80’s.
- Upgrades to all emergency exit signs and emergency lighting.
- Engineer-approved ceiling grids to support aerial apparatus.
Last Monday, the environmental hygienist, Flip’s adjuster and the remediation company visited Flip to inspect the sprung floor systems being stored in 2 sea cans behind the facility. Upon visual inspection and upon immediately finding iron filings, the floor systems were slated for disposal. Why wasn’t this done 5 months ago?
- Flip has rented sea cans at a storage facility. The insurance company is balking at assisting with the removal of remaining equipment that is in the facility (ie gymnastics bars, trampoline frames, 40’ tumble track frame, gymnastics beams, bar stool frames, etc.)

Let’s hope that the weather warms up a bit next week for transporting these remaining items!

I would like to point out that I stand corrected: Flip Factory’s insurer has paid $75,000.00 since the incident on the Business Interruption clause. I thought that these funds had been forwarded based on the ACV (actual cash value) of our equipment. My apologies, my learning curve on all of this is vertical.

Regardless of, whether or not Flip’s insurer will assist in our relocation; regardless of whatever the landlord continues to do or not do; and regardless of pending smear campaigns that I know are brewing – I am determined to keep Flip Factory alive.

Please continue to spread the word and send out good vibes – it makes a world of difference.

Darlene :)

Hello Flip Factory Families & Friends,
Thank you for your show of support over the weekend. Yes – I believe that miracles do happen. Yes – I believe that good triumphs over evil. Yes – I believe that the little guy, gal, person and underdog can succeed. I also believe that what is currently happening to Flip Factory is almost beyond comprehension and needs to be told. To better understand Flip Factory’s culture and commitment to serve the community, in particular kids, allow me to share a bit: Flip Factory moved from a small church hall in Inglewood to its current location in Greenview in 2011. The Flip community continued to grow and thrive through ups and downs including COVID. Post COVID, 75% of our staff returned. From 2011 – mid 2022 we were blessed to have an amazing landlord. Little known tidbit about our landlord during that time: In the 50’s three brothers immigrated from Europe and started a masonry company. Through hard work and perseverance, they were able to purchase a large parcel of land in Greenview Industrial Park in NE Calgary in the early 80’s. With the company they started from nothing, they literally built the entire complex of industrial buildings – Pockar Park. Fast forward to June 2011. After the final day of classes in the church hall in Inglewood, a small group of family and friends loaded Flip Factory’s equipment onto a 24 foot long, flatbed trailer. The future of Flip was uncertain. The church was going through a transitory period, and we had been asked to leave. A new lease had not yet been signed for a potential space in Pockar Park. All equipment was being transported into temporary storage. Crash mats, large carpet roll mats, trampolines and other equipment were loaded onto the trailer for the three-block journey to a sea can. If you’re interested in learning more about Flip Factory’s time in the church and move to Pockar Park, please check out: Flip Factory Inc. – A Case Study. This academic paper was written by a professor from U of C’s Haskayne School of Business. The study has been used at universities around the world. It was featured in the Harvard Business Review and can be obtained online through Ivy Publishing. As the final mats were put onto the trailer and, in typical Calgary fashion, the weather turned from blue sky and sunshine to a downpour. I still cannot believe how fast 5 people could unload a semi-trailer full of large, heavy gymnastics equipment into a sea can. Huge thanks to that tiny but very capable group of individuals. Later that day, I reached out to the owner and landlord of the space in Pockar Park. He was the last of the three brothers who had built the complex and he was still managing it 30 years later! A true gentleman, businessman and inspiration. I explained the situation to him: Flip Factory’s equipment would be destroyed if it was not dried out immediately. We were still waiting for approval from the City before finalizing the lease. Despite this and based on a handshake and assurances that I was committed to running Flip Factory, Mr. P gave my family and I the green light to move all equipment into the double bay and set up fans to dry everything out. Miracles do happen! Please share Flip Factory’s story with as many people as possible. The world needs to know that people can overcome what appear to be insurmountable obstacles with the right attitude, gratitude, and faith. I am juggling a lot of balls right now but will do my best to keep you informed and updated on what is happening with Flip Factory. Darlene :)

Hello Flip Factory Friends and Families,
I would like to wish everyone a healthy and happy 2024. I know that there are lots of questions about what is going on with our gym. These are the latest updates: Refunds are being sent out. And have been since the beginning of this incident, (July 20/23). I apologize that I cannot refund everyone immediately. Why? Despite having business interruption insurance to cover unforeseen incidents such as this, to date, Flip Factory has received $0 on this policy. Also, despite a rent abatement clause in Flip’s lease stating if the facility is rendered unusable rent will not be collected - landlord continues to collect over $15,000/month and threatens to lock facility and seize assets if Flip defaults on rent. Has legal assistance been sought? Yes. What is the current state of Flip Factory? 90% of the equipment has been disposed of because of the contamination. After 2 weeks of cleaning by a remediation company, environmental engineers still found contaminants on hard flat surfaces. Environmental engineers were not brought in until 2 ½ months after the incident and after the initial remediation. For the first 3 months after the incident, it was questioned if, there was even a problem. What is the contaminant? Small steel shards. These were compared to contaminants such as black mold or asbestos only worse due to the barbed nature. There is no industry precedence, protocol, or standards for this type of contamination in a children’s fitness center. How did steel shards get into Flip Factory? Thousands of shards were created when a roofing company drilled hundreds of self-tapping steel screws through the steel Q-deck thus showering the interior of Flip Factory with steel shards throughout. Why was this even done with children and staff in the facility? Good question. Most important, no kids or staff were injured. We (my staff and I) initiated an emergency evacuation. Thank you to First Student Bus Lines and the Calgary Zoo for their assistance. Why wasn’t the construction halted? Another good question. My opinion: profits over children. Not much different than what is happening around the world today. Were authorities contacted? Yes. Alberta Health Services and the City of Calgary currently have closure orders on the facility. Will Flip Factory cease to exist? I hope not. Is Flip Factory a large corporation with deep pockets? Definitely not, it’s a small business started by one person who is passionate about teaching kids and giving them an opportunity to shine. This person has been supported and encouraged by hundreds, if not thousands, of incredible people over the years who also understand the importance of nurturing future generations. Flip Factory is a recent iteration of movements to bring out the best in our kids. Perhaps you’ve been touched by these movements over the years??
Alberta Schools Gymnastics Association ASGA (1991 – 2001)
Okotoks Gym Club – Percy Pegler School
High River Gym Club – Joe Clark School
Springbank Gym Club – Elbow Valley Elementary School
Cochrane Gym Clubs – Glenbow & Elizabeth Barrett Schools
Drumheller Gym Club – Central School
Sundance Gym Club – Sundance Elementary School
Red Deer Lake Gym Club – Red Deer Lake Community Hall
Bragg Creek Gym Club – Old community hall then Banded Peak School
Mountain Shadows Gymnastics Club – Okotoks (1996 – 2001) and still going strong!
Fit Kids Mobile Gymnastics & Trampoline Programs (2003 – 2014)
Ramsay Community Hall
Chestermere Rec Centre
Delacour Community Hall
Special Editions Daycare
Bow Trail Daycare
UCCC Main Campus
UCCC West Campus
Ranchlands Day Care on Nose Hill Drive
Panda Ranchlands Daycare
Panda Daycare on 14th St NW
Flip Factory (2007 – present)
Chestermere Rec Centre
Lantern Community Church
Cross Hall / St. John’s Church in Inglewood
Current location in Greenview Industrial Park

I’d say the cards are stacked against our gym and movement but if you look at what has preceded Flip Factory – miracles do happen and continue to happen.

I want to fully refund everyone who is out of pocket. I would like to organize a garage sale of sorts rather than wait on insurance. There are some items that were not contaminated by the incident that Flip can function without: Cyr wheels, surplus lyras & trapezes, stainless steel items from the café, etc. I will also add personal items that have some value. If you are interested in this or you can help out in any way, please send an email to: [email protected] . I’ve pretty much exhausted conventional approaches to this situation. Despite cartwheeling up a very steep hill, I want to keep this movement going. It feeds my soul and, in turn, I think it feeds a lot of other souls too.

Let’s all focus on 2024 being a great year!
Darlene Traviss :)

To our Flip Factory family and friends

If you're one of the families that signed up with us for summer or fall programming, or someone who found us when searching for a fun activity for your child, and

You're wondering what's happening with Flip... let us tell you.

In June, an unfortunate event with the roof of our building resulted with small, sharp metal shards covering our floors and all the equipment. A large portion of our equipment has been removed from the facility, some of which had to be immediately disposed of.

I truly apologize for the lack of communication regarding the Flip Factory issues and intended next steps. For the last few months, we've been working our way through the complex and onerous task of assessing damage, loss and liability, and working with restoration and insurance companies to get ourselves up and running again. We went silent over this time -- hoping that resolution was just around the corner and we'd share good news. But there's still so much to untangle. The truth is, I am still very much in the thick of working my way through the legal liabilities and insurance claims. The process moves very slowly, and I’ve been told that resolution may still be months out.

I cannot tell you how heartbreaking this situation has been for all of us. I feel greatly responsible to my client-families and my staff who have experienced such loss. On the cost recovery documents submitted to the insurance company, paying the remaining Flip staff and reimbursing families is at the top of the list. While I feel hopeful these costs will be approved, I have not yet been advised.

Thank you for your patience as we go through the process. We are doing everything we can to resolve this as quickly as possible - for the community we’ve built, the kids we help grow, and the business I love so much. Our clients are always at the forefront of our minds.

To those who’ve been aware of the situation, thank you for the support you’ve given.

Most sincerely,

Darlene Traviss
Owner

Restoration process of Flip Factory 🔨

I am so sorry, I have to close our gym for the remainder of summer and at least until January 2024 due to complications arising from a roof replacement by our landlord. Most importantly, no participants or staff were injured. I am starting to better understand the scope of the damage and impact it will have on our Flip Factory Community. Business interruption insurance will enable Flip Factory to refund families who were registered in summer camps, summer evening classes, fall programs and fall birthday bookings. Insurance on our equipment will cover clean up and replacement of equipment that cannot be 100% guaranteed safe for future use. Flip Factory has 3 years left on its lease. Despite being a tenant since 2011 and paying rent on time every month even during the pandemic, the new landlord has demonstrated business practices that make me question if it is safe or viable to continue to operate Flip Factory in its current location. Both Alberta Health Services and the City of Calgary have issued closure orders on the facility. Wynward Insurance is moving forward on Flip Factory’s behalf with finalizing the damage and formulating a course of action to remedy the situation. When it was apparent that the landlord had no regard for the safety of our kids or staff, I reached out to Global News. The story aired on Friday, July 21/23 ‘gymnastics camps forced to reschedule due to renovation’. Since then, the situation has gone from bad to worse to unbelievable. I apologize that I did not reach out to all of you sooner. Quite frankly, I’ve been in a state of shock and disbelief. I apologize for the inconvenience and disappointment our gym’s closure will cause. Despite all of this, I am determined to keep Flip Factory alive. I feel that our organization makes a huge positive impact on the lives of many kids. I will continue to update you on a regular basis now that I know what we are dealing with. Darlene Traviss, Founder, Owner & Coach

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