Fitness became the focus in Mount Kisco on Aug. 13 when leaders of the New York State Fitness Alliance visited the Saw Mill Club East for a news conference and demonstration of the anti-virus safety measures that have been put in place in the facility.
The alliance has been staging events at fitness centers around the state in an effort to attract public attention and put pressure on Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo to reverse his position and allow their category of business to fully reopen following the forced closings because of Covid-19.
While there’s no known connection, Cuomo this morning announced that new guidance will be issued on Monday that would allow gyms and fitness centers to open.
In a conference call with reporters, Cuomo said that bowling centers will be allowed to reopen at 50% capacity next week. Bowling centers would be allowed to have patrons use every other alley in order to promote social distancing.
The alliance was formed to bring together the owners of gyms and fitness centers to develop a plan for reopening that they hoped would convince the powers that be that they can safely reopen. Cuomo had taken the position that gyms and fitness centers should not be allowed to reopen, even in regions that had entered phase four of the state’s reopening program.
The alliance says that it is working on behalf of 2,000 fitness facilities that collectively employ about 85,000 people.
Saw Mill Club East at 333 N. Bedford Road is under common ownership with Saw Mill Club at 77 Kensico Drive, also in Mount Kisco. Members have access to both locations.
Rick Beusman, president of the Saw Mill Club, said, “The health and safety of our members is our highest priority. This is our 48th year of operation and during that time we have actively been involved with industrywide initiatives to ensure our clubs operate at the highest quality standards.”
Beusman said that during the five months his center has been closed, except for limited activities such as outdoor tennis, he’s been in contact with other club operators and health advisers across the U.S. to research the best methods for safely reopening.
“We have designed a program which includes mandatory wearing of masks, enhanced sanitizing and cleaning protocols, HVAC and ventilation upgrades, redesign of club spaces for maintaining proper social distancing, including removal of 50% of our fitness equipment, additional cleaning staffing, employee training to ensure the highest safety standards are met and a mandatory member reservation system,” Beusman said.
He said that the reservation system would ensure that proper contact tracing could be done if necessary.
William Lia, executive director of the alliance, said, “We are ready to reopen upon state approval, to continue to promote a healthy lifestyle only gyms and fitness centers can provide. The governor has done a tremendous job leading New York through this crisis by following the facts and our plan continues that approach while allowing New Yorkers to improve their physical health.”
Lia operates four VENT Fitness locations in the Albany region. He had previously said that he put numerous safety measures in place at his gyms, including sneeze guards, instructional signage and moving equipment around so everything was socially distanced.
State Sen. Peter Harckham, who represents the 40th Senate District that includes Mount Kisco, was among those at Saw Mill Club East.
“The fitness industry is interested in collaborating with the state”™s Department of Health and others to find ways to safely reopen their facilities,” Harckham said. “I believe it is time to permit these businesses to demonstrate that they can institute maximum safety precautions to deter transmission of the coronavirus so they can open their doors again to patrons.”
The reopening plan submitted by the New York State Fitness Alliance requires that fitness center employees wear face coverings, clean surfaces regularly and be trained on all safety protocols. The alliance said that its plan meets or exceeds Centers for Disease Control, New York State Department of Health and Occupational Safety and Health Administration guidelines and includes protocols for assisting the state in contact tracing efforts.
Some of the specifics in the plan include:
- Requiring trainers and fitness club members to wash or sanitize their hands before and after sessions;
- Requiring members to bring their own mats for use in the centers;
- Providing single-use cups for beverages with no refills;
- Eliminating seating in cafe areas to discourage gatherings;
- Closing shower facilities unless individual showers have doors for privacy;
- Encouraging members to come to the facility in appropriate workout clothes rather than changing there;
- Limiting total facility capacity to no more than 50% of the maximum building occupancy permitted under fire codes;
- Periodically disinfecting employee break rooms;
- Prohibiting handshaking and all other person-to-person contact.
The alliance takes the position that for many fitness center members, the physical and mental progress achieved through exercise programs is an essential element of their overall health and wellness. It says fitness professionals “are a first line of defense in preventative health for many New Yorkers who may struggle with obesity, heart conditions, and diabetes.”
