So this whole ordeal has taken place over the last month.

I've been going to this public city run gym for 5 years now. The front desk staff call me by my first name, I help the personal trainers demo things to thier customers, 'I'm a regular".

I guess the gym has been having problems lately with people sneaking in on the evening shift, so managment decided that they should be checking to see if people have the correct wristbands. In the last 5 years I cannot ever remember being checked to see if i had the right band on. Ever.

the first incident was deadlift day, I was using straps so i removed the issued band ,because as I sweat it causes the strap to slide. Its a personal safety issue(IMO) One of the staff comes up mid lift and tells me that I have to be wearing a band, I showed her my band in my pocket and she said put it back on... OK? Ya after I'm done.

next wk, deadlift day again. same thing only this time she called the manager...

The manager walks up( im done with straps, now casually rowing on a machine). See me without the wristband on a says loudly " you need to wear the band"!
The 2 girls in the room next to me were surprised at the level of the voice and watched as the manager then proceed to tell me that Ive been constantly not wearing a band and that Im not listening to staff.... I didn't know what to say, so i defended myself saying i took it off because of my straps and that its a safety issue.

The manager flipped, told me that this power struggle isint going to last and that im banned from the gym. she then slams the door close and walks away. I left the gym promptly after

I decided i would wait a bit, 5 days later i went back. Turns out my membership was canceled and she wont refund my newly paid month. Words got heated and i left.
I walked straight to city hall, human reasources dept and filed a complaint against the manager. I also wrote a letter to the CAO describing how humiliated she made me feel and that im scared to go back, and how unprofessional she was.

2 wks later i get a phone call from the CAO and HR telling me that it was all a misunderstanding and that I am free to use the gym and the city will even grant me an additional month free. Sorry about how our staff made you feel.

The manager hasn't looked me in the eye yet............ I win.