I've never been to a PF before (don't think they exist in Canada) but I think the reason alot of people utilize them is because they are dirt fucking cheap. Aren't they like $15/month or some shit? That's a great deal if you're just a cardio person who does some minimal weight training on the side. A gym membership where I live is anywhere from $50-120/month depending on the gym. That's a fair bit of money saved long term.