Fitness facilities feel strain of another closure
By KELLEN TANIGUCHI on May 8, 2021.
ktaniguchi@medicinehatnews.com@@kellentaniguchi Indoor fitness and recreation facilities had to close again Wednesday after Premier Jason Kenney announced further COVID-19 restrictions on Tuesday evening. Also, effective Sunday, all indoor sport, performance and recreation activities for youth and adults must stop. Local gyms and facilities in Medicine Hat are no stranger to closing down, but one owner says members are tired of gyms being affected by restrictions. “The general feeling with our clients for the most part is they are fed up, they’re done, they want to get back working out and work on health and fitness to get our immune system up to fight against what’s going on in the world,” said Kevin Davey, manager at Orange Theory Fitness in Medicine Hat. Davey says the main focus of Orange Theory is to bring that feeling of community, and when they are forced to work out virtually, that community atmosphere isn’t there. Orange Theory will still be able to offer the same courses as it did in person and Davey says this is a process they are used to so the transition won’t be too difficult. “This pivot, we’ve already done it so it’s not challenging for us anymore. We have all the tools needed to succeed,” he said. “The challenge we face is the buy-in from our clients to want to work out from home because a lot of people like to get away from home because of the current situation.” Davey adds that gyms were asked to shut down the day after new restrictions are announced, while other businesses such as restaurants had more time to make the change. He believes the gym community isn’t getting enough respect. Both YMCA locations in the Hat are also facing changes and the CEO of the downtown branch says as of Monday morning they won’t be opening any fitness facilities or before- and after-school programs. “It’s been a rollercoaster and at this point in time it’s the third time we’ve had to significantly close or curtail our operation,” said Sharon Hayward. Hayward says the Y will be offering outdoor family cohort activities, which include giant yard games that can be booked online, obstacle courses, nerf wars and scavenger hunts that people can download from the YMCA website to do with their cohort. “It’s important right now for people to be active and to connect with their family and spend quality time together,” she said. “And as restrictions re in place, it’s harder to find things to do that you can do that are safe and meet all the requirements. So, this is an option we wanted to provide to the community.” The organization will be offering its YMCA at Home program, which is free for everyone to access. They also offer a more robust platform called Y at Home Plus, which is available for a small subscription fee. The new restrictions, especially with the childcare programs closing, has forced the YMCA to make some short-term, temporary layoffs. “It’s around 30 positions that are impacted, and our goal is to work as quickly as we can to make sure they are all back in their positions as soon as possible,” said Hayward. “It would be a second or third layoff for some people, so it’s extremely difficult.” Although the new restrictions limit what the YMCA can offer, Hayward says it is here for the community. “We obviously want to see the pandemic end and we’re more than happy to do our part toward that and we just hope people will take advantage of the activities that are available and work on their mental wellness and well-being during this challenging time,” she said. 18-17
