Nearly one month after they were ordered to close, gyms and fitness centres will be allowed to take the “cautious step” to reopen on Jan. 20, according to B.C.’s top doctor.
But while gyms are allowed to reopen, Dr. Bonnie Henry said other restrictions – including bar and nightclub closures – that went into place in December will remain in effect due to the high rates of transmission of the Omicron variant and the number of people in hospital.
When it comes to gyms, Henry said proof of vaccination will still be required, and capacity limits will be in place.
The new spacing rules include a minimum of seven square metres between each person, whether they are working out alone or in a group.
Gyms being able to reopen was the news that Courtney Dickson, who co-owns Richmond Sport and Fitness on No. 5 Road near River Road with her husband Chris, was waiting to hear.
“It’s very good news. That was such a relief,” she said.
“As frustrating as the last few weeks have been, we’re happy that we’ve been able to do this the right way for everybody and not jeopardize any kind of longevity for our business.”
While Dickson is still hoping for more clarification on the capacity limits, she’s already called back three of her staff who were laid off in December when gyms were ordered closed.
“I’m very happy with the outcome that we can open, but again, it comes with a very short amount of notice to try and figure out how we’re supposed to reorganize our facility,” she said.
“I doubt we’re going to leave here until we reopen on Thursday at 5 a.m. I’m sure it’s going to be a long 48 hours here, but it’s definitely worth it.”
Maki Riddington of Maki Performance Training in Ironwood was also happy to hear the news on Tuesday, and said it would largely be “business as usual” once his gym reopens this week, given their existing safety and distancing measures.
He said the latest closure was a “significant” challenge for small gym owners – his own facility is 4,600 square feet with about 200 to 250 members.
This time around, everything was completely shut down – including one-on-one personal training.
But there are “a lot of moving parts,” said Riddington, pointing out that some people may not be comfortable returning to gyms yet, which are still facing financial pressures.
“It’s not like, we open our doors and we’re back at our operating revenue. I’ve been in the red the last two years,” he said.
“And so, I’ve been constantly waiting to gain this momentum and every time…we get hit with a new restriction. So hopefully, this is going to allow us to move through the spring and summer months without much impact and we can really start to move forward.”
Dickson, of Richmond Sport and Fitness, said the closure impacted an “exponential” number of people.
“We’re 30,000 square feet and we have over 3,000 members. So, the amount of people that this (closure) has impacted just close to home, here in our community, is exponential.”
She said one of the hardest parts of the closure was hearing from some gym members who struggle with mental health and substance abuse, including someone who had relapsed because they weren’t able to go to the gym.
The camaraderie felt by gym-goers is an “overlooked aspect,” said Riddington.
“That sense of community is so important for the people who attend, and it’s felt quite strongly when they don’t get to show up and their routine is disrupted, they feel like a part of them is kind of missing,” he said.
“So this (reopening) will be good.”
Other restrictions, however, remain in effect. Henry said bars and nightclubs will remain closed, and capacity limits are still in place for restaurants, theatres and stadiums until Feb. 16.
Da Qi, who owns No. 88 Club, a nightclub on Alexandra Road, said although they have been trying their best to adapt to the policy amid the pandemic, the past year has been taking a toll on their business.
“Many clients who initially made reservations with us had to cancel their bookings after the restriction was put into place last year,” he said.
“I did understand that business owners need to do more to curb the Omicron variant, and we have been playing by the rules. However, it wasn’t easy over the past few months.”
Qi said that January and February are usually busy with Lunar New Year events.
“Now I just pray that the restriction could be lifted sometime in spring,” he said.
