GWA: A History – Part 2
Written by Jon Bula, GWA Owner and Cofounder
Once our downtown facility opened, we embarked on a steady growth trajectory. Troy began to take on more of a business administration role, while I was tasked with the growth and development of our expanding personal training staff. With Troy’s background as a hockey player and my experience as a strength coach, we quickly expanded our personal training business to include off-season training for hockey players. This became a significant portion of our business, and we eventually spun it out under its own brand, Factory Hockey Training.
Things progressed smoothly until 2016, when both Troy and I began exploring other business ventures. I was getting into cycling at the time and ended up owning a 50% stake in a local bike shop. The demands of the growing retail business, combined with helping to raise two young children, began to strain my working relationship with Troy at GWA. Eventually, we decided to part ways in business, leading to Troy becoming the sole owner of Groundwork Athletics in 2017.
In 2013, I hired a young, energetic personal trainer named Donny MacQuarrie. He developed into our manager and began running the business in 2019, as Troy transitioned to life in Langley and started his own growing family. The period from 2020 to 2022 was particularly challenging for the fitness industry due to COVID-19, which brought shutdowns and uncertainty. Donny was instrumental in helping GWA navigate these tough times.
In late 2023, I was on a guys’ trip with friends (Troy couldn’t make it that year; three kids can do that) when I found out through the grapevine that Troy was considering leaving the fitness industry. Having recently been forced to sell my retail business (another COVID victim/story), I was looking for something new. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect. With the help of a longtime friend, I managed to put a deal together, and we bought GWA back from Troy. As of 2023, I’m a 50% owner of the business I founded in 2004. During this process, I was extremely happy to be reunited with the “young” trainer I hired back in 2013. The Donny of 2023 isn’t quite as young, and he has a family of his own now. He has been expertly managing operations and will hopefully continue to do so for the foreseeable future.
Speaking of the future and what it holds for GWA, you can expect to see more of what got us here. Our expertise in human movement, coupled with best-in-class personal trainers, will continue. This past year, we’ve focused on incorporating a more holistic approach to health and fitness. We plan to push into the healthy aging arena with science-backed approaches to exercise and nutrition. We believe that exercise is key to a long and healthy life and are more eager than ever to share that with our community.