A Toronto gym is facing community backlash and bad reviews due to an overflow of fitness influencers among other issues.

Altea Active opened just over a year ago in Liberty Village and has already been subject to multiple controversies including an uproar over membership fees earlier this year.  

Now the gym is getting lots of local hate again, at least according to reviews on Google. Some people have claimed the gym does not adequately enforce their "no cameras in the workout area or change rooms" policy and another suggested Altea is being overrun by  influencers.

A one-star Google review complaining about influencers from seven months ago.

Certain complaints surround the use of phone cameras, which has resulted in members expressing discomfort at being perpetual extras in the background of someone's dead-lift. 

Colliding with this series of complaints is the recent announcement that Altea Active is making major adjustments to its child and family swim programs, as the gym recently announced that it was pausing several aquatic activities. 

"With no notice, we were told they were cutting out all swimming lessons and family swims," claims an Altea Active member to blogTO.

The reasoning for the halted programming, according to a message sent to the member and shared with blogTO, is that Altea Active is changing its programming based on community requirements.

"We got an email back saying that families and children do not represent the needs of Liberty Village," says the member.  

In light of recent feedback, Altea Active sent out an official response to the adjustments made to child and family swim classes this week. 

blogTO reviewed the response which states that the majority of member feedback indicated there was a desire for more access to lane swimming.

The communication also referenced declining turnout for family and child swim classes. 

Julie Ford — a founding member of Altea Active and another impacted parent —  isn't convinced by the information Altea Active is relaying to its members. 

"There are so many families that I know that are in the Liberty Village area that signed up [with Altea Active] because of the family friendly vibe. They were sold on that, just like I was, during their initial marketing — so I don't know where they got their data on that."