YK Mythbusters: Are There Swingers in YK?

“Oooh, going to the Racquet Club, eh? Hanging with the swingers?” Wink-wink, nudge-nudge, suggestive hand gesture. The rumour about the Racquet Club being ‘the’ club for ‘the lifestyle’ has been going on almost since it opened in 1981.

Kelli Hinchey has been with the Racquet Club since 1986, taking over ownership in 1997, and “has personally never seen nor witnessed any kind of ‘swinging’ behaviour” at the club. But make no mistake, she’s heard the rumours as well and can’t help but roll her eyes at it every time.

So where did these rumours come from? Kelli thinks it may have to do with the early days of the Club, when costly initiation fees created an exclusive air about the place. It was the only spot in town where young professionals could play racquetball and schmooze with other active professionals at the same time, especially if they wanted to avoid the rowdy crowds at the bars. The lounge, hot tub, and courts of the Racquet Club is where you’d go to meet like-minded people. Whether or not those like-minded people were also into a little private (or not-so private) partner swaps? There’s no way to confirm or deny, so we can leave the Club itself out of this.

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When it comes to swinging, after all, it’s not really about the building. What we should be discussing is whether there’s a swingers scene at all in this little city (and whether or not what happens between consenting adults is any of our business). We were unable to get any individuals to speak on the record about the scene in Yellowknife, but as anyone who has been in town for any length of time well knows, rumours go all the way from online forums to the Ingraham Trail. The lifestyle defies structures and boundaries, and nowadays, couples are more likely to advertise and recruit exactly what they want using online services. You’re just as likely to have the topic brought up by that adventurous couple on a camping trip as you are over a game of squash around here; Yellowknife is the place for trying something new and the winters can get pretty long and monogamous. I mean, monotonous.

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