WHITEWATER REGION (Cobden) — Ottawa Valley Yoga had its grand opening Tuesday, September 4 at Inner Strength Fitness Studio in Cobden.
Megan Chase, founder of this new business, is sharing space at the Inner Strength Fitness Studio on Main Street in downtown Cobden.
Ottawa Valley Yoga is a pop-up retail boutique for yoga-related wear and accessories and with yoga lessons to follow, she explained. All the brands of the yoga items originate in Ontario or Quebec. Ms. Chase advocates the community to support local business whenever possible.
During her grand opening, Ms. Chase greeted and talked with interested people over the course of the evening, explaining why she started this business.
“I noticed that there is a lack of spaces to practice the lifestyle of yoga in rural communities and that was what sparked my interest,” she said.
Ms. Chase, a certified yoga instructor, will introduce hatha yoga and meditation classes this fall for class sizes of 10 to 12 students at all levels. There will be relaxing music to help promote physical and mental benefits, with a commitment to providing a space that is safe, accepting and nurturing.
Chair yoga for seniors will begin in January. This branch of yoga is good at alleviating pressure in the joints, she said. Some classes will have a local sponsor to pay the students’ costs for the evening. Ottawa Valley Yoga plans to offer a variety of events over the next year.
Two of the displays at the pop-up shop were from Maryellen Curtis of Little Ted’s Creations and Nancy Rantz, both from Cobden.
Ms. Chase was well supported by family. Her fiancé John Dupuis, a travelling barber and councillor candidate for the Township of Whitewater Region, his mother Annette Dupuis from Arnprior and Ms. Chase’s father, Mark Chase, from Renfrew, had a special interest in this evening.
Ms. Chase and Mr. Dupuis met when both were employees at Whitewater Brewery and have now settled in Cobden, and both agree as they say, “We really like living here.”
