The City of Richmond is cancelling all indoor group exercise classes for the next three weeks, however, gyms and fitness centres are still open for individual workouts or one-on-one training.
In a tweet, the city said yoga, tai-chi, core and strength, fit and functional and strength and stretch classes are suspended until April 19, following the province’s latest COVID-19 restrictions announced by health officials yesterday.
“Facility staff will notify program registrants impacted by the changes, and refunds or credits will be processed,” the city said Tuesday on Twitter.
Outdoor group exercise classes will not start until at least April 20.
To combat the surge in COVID-19 cases, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said Monday that B.C. is putting “circuit-breaker” restrictions in place for the next three weeks, affecting indoor dining in restaurants and group fitness classes. The permissions announced last week for limited indoor worship services were also cancelled and Whistler-Blackcomb ski resort closed.
Meanwhile, a survey by RunRepeat – an athletic shoe review site – of 11,193 gym members from 142 countries, found around 42 per cent of Canadians who cancelled their gym memberships do not plan to return after they’ve been vaccinated.
Globally, nearly 52 per cent of gym goers who cancelled memberships said they wouldn’t go back even after the COVID-19 vaccine.
The survey also found that, in Canada, just over 15 per cent of Canadians are currently using the gym a year after the pandemic began, while over 84 per cent are not.
The announcement came as the province recorded 2,518 new cases between Friday and Monday.
