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Kent Brown had long felt that East Kildonan was is need of a boxing gym, so the former Canadian champion decided it was time to open one himself.

Winnipeg Elite Boxing and MMA Academy opened its doors at 1042 Henderson Hwy. on Jan. 3.

"I’ve been wanting to do this for many years," said Brown, 40, who attended Kildonan East Collegiate and lives in North Kildonan. "There’s nothing on this side of the city."

Brown, who qualified for the 2000 Sydney Olympics only to have the decision from his bout controversially reversed a day later, said his vision is to "create champions in life, not contenders."

The gym is home to everyone from aspiring elite boxers and mixed martial artists to people of all ages looking for a fun and intense workout.

"I bring a championship mentality," said Brown, who hosts the TV show Fit First on APTN. "I’ve been to the show, I know what it takes to get there."

Brown will be on the road in coming weeks with several fighters who have a chance to qualify for the 2012 London Games.

For recreational boxers, a monthly membership fee allows them to attend as many sessions as they like.

"We want everyone to be healthy and to have fun through boxing," said Brown. "It helps with strength, cardio, aerobic, anaerobic, pylometrics, balance… it caters to all that."

The gym is also planning to offer an after-school "hearts and minds" program that includes an anti-bullying component as an alternative to daycare for children aged seven to 12.

And Brown is especially proud that $1 from each monthly membership payment goes into a fund to help cover costs for kids who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford the programming. That programming will eventually include day camps for kids during the spring and summer.

"We make sure they pay it back somehow," Brown said. "They may work in a soup kitchen to pay it forward."

Tracy Falk, a North Kildonan resident who first met Brown when he was at the United Boxing gym in Osborne Village, got back into the sport after a lengthy layoff when the Elite gym opened.

"It’s an amazing workout," said the 43-year-old. "There’s a lot of skill to boxing. It’s great for understanding your body and learning what you can and can’t take."

Falk believes so much in what Brown and his fellow instructors are doing that she volunteers at the gym’s front desk every Monday night.

"It’s inspirational that (Brown) started a club to help area youth and introduce the sport to people that never would have thought of boxing," she said. "It’s a great communal atmosphere here."

avi.saper@canstarnews.com