It’s not every day you find someone who’s remained with the same organization for 29 years.

But it’s also not every day you meet someone like George Asvestas, a trainer at The Y in Montreal, for precisely that long!

“Ever since I started, it’s had a family atmosphere, which is really cool and something you don’t really see in many gyms,” says George. “It’s honestly like one big family. And that’s a feeling we extend to everyone who comes in here.”

Indeed, this is a sentiment shared by all members and staff, where a sense of community and inclusivity is fostered through The Y’s Mission Statement: “To provide a welcoming, engaging, and inclusive Jewish environment where all members of the community can participate in social, athletic, and hands-on learning activities. We encourage physical health, Jewish culture, and Jewish identity.”

Yes, it’s a Jewish organization. Yes, all people from all walks of life are welcomed as though they are family.

“More and more, people became aware of the beauty of our place and we’ve always welcomed everybody. I ended up learning a lot about the Jewish holidays and Judaism in general,” George reflects.

“There’s a real human connection here,” he continues, referring, of course, to the freshly renovated 13,500 square foot space, including a 9,000 square foot functional area, a 4,500 square foot mezzanine, a 100-meter two-lane indoor track, two spacious group training studios, a fully equipped weight room, and a dedicated cardio room (phew!). “We’re expanding! We even have a wrestling centre now.”

Having worked at The Y for as long as he has, George assures us things are always entertaining. “It’s like a hive for funny characters,” he explains. “It spices things up and makes it fun. That’s what makes it pleasant – the people. It’s a blast. It really is a place where all people and levels of fitness are welcome. It’s so much more than just training.”

And George is so much more than just a trainer. As a valued Health and Wellness Representative and floor staff member, many elements accompany his job day-to-day. “Keeping the place tidy, helping people when they come in, showing them how to use the equipment, correcting them if they’re doing anything wrong to avoid injury. Just helping them out.”

And as you can imagine, he fields MANY questions. “Things like, ‘this hurts, what do you recommend for that?’ Or they’ll ask about specific fitness goals, and I help them out. That is probably the most common thing. Questions about specific fitness goals.”  

“I like giving back,” George continues. I was an out-of-shape kid growing up, and then I started training and fell in love with it. I just want to help people out.”

Fun fact: The Y hosted the Maccabi Games back in 2002! It’s also seen the likes of some very familiar faces: most notably, perhaps, Georges “Rush” St-Pierre (GSP) of MMA fame is a regular. “One day he brought in Kevin James, and they were training in the pool together,” says George. Others who have graced the halls of The Y include Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and hockey legends Gordie Howe and Bobby Hull.

Above all, though, George keeps coming back to the same theme. “It’s about remembering that human connection. Turn off your cell phone every now and then, just come to The Y and enjoy. When you’re here, what CAN’T you do?”

Learn more about our membership options and book a free tour of The Y’s stunning facilities today! https://ymywha.com/membership-form/