If you’re not looking up, you could very well be missing some of the city’s hottest rooftop patios. If you are fortunate to be one of the tenants at The Empire Times building, you have everyday access to a hidden outdoor oasis that would rival any rooftop patio in the area. This is what inspired FirstOntario Credit Union’s Christine Gendreau to host a weekly yoga session on this very rooftop, inviting individuals who both live and work in the surrounding area, to enjoy the amazing views that this patio has to offer. We recently sat down with Christine to hear more about this exciting initiative:

1.How did the idea to do yoga on the Empire Times rooftop first come to be? 

We have used the patio for many events and I personally spend a lot of my lunch hours out there when the weather is nice.  The view of the downtown core is amazing and it’s a tranquil spot where you can sit and just watch the action around you.   I started noticing yoga classes being offered outdoors in the City of Hamilton and immediately thought what a great spot this would be to host classes.  The patio provides a great atmosphere for unwinding and the space is perfect for teaching a yoga-inspired class.   FirstOntario is also very onboard with work-life balance and community involvement, so this was a perfect idea to showcase our space while also providing an activity for the community to participate in.  Funds raised are donated to local downtown Hamilton charities.

2.Tell us about the yoga instructor you use?

Her name is Amanda Edridge.  I met Amanda when she was teaching at SoulSessions. Her mix of Yoga/Pop Pilates classes and her energy are addictive.  She plays a good variety of music and gets you moving and stretching while providing modifications to suit any level.

3. How many people generally join you? What are the demographics of the participants? 

We just started running these classes in the middle of June and on average we have about 7-12 people per class.  We have had all ages join us!  From seven years old to 70!  Both men and women.  It’s nice because the 5:30 p.m. timeslot allows for the downtown core crowd to come right after work.

4.What is the feedback you have received from participants?   

People fall in love with the space immediately.  Many people don’t know what to expect and it’s always fun watching their reactions when they get off the elevator or come into the FirstOntario business space.  Everyone loves the class and like I said, Amanda’s energy is addictive.   Many have commented on what a great idea having these classes are and how lucky we are to have this beautiful space and use it for something other than our day to day business operations.

5.How much longer does this series run for?

As of now we are running classes every Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. until the end of August, but we are in talks to keep them going into the fall.