READY FOR RECREATION
Genoveva Chavez Community Center to reopen Monday
Since mid-March, the only activity at the Genoveva Chavez Community Center has been workers building new racquetball courts and giving the 20-year-old facility a general facelift.
Now, one of the centerpieces of the Santa Fe Parks & Recreation Department is ready to shake off the COVID-19 doldrums and start accepting visitors to once again splash in its pools, shoot at its hoops and lift its weights. Known to many as GC3, the facility is set to open Monday.
But that’s not to say things haven’t changed at the 170,000-square-foot center that cost $25 million to build.
No, things will be dramatically different for users, said John Muñoz, parks and rec director. The only areas of the facility that are opening for Phase One are the natatorium, the weight room, the track
— on a limited basis — the “nook,” the functional training room, the mezzanine and the basketball gym.
The biggest change to which users will need to adjust is there are no more drop-ins. Every hourlong session at the center must be reserved at least 24 hours ahead of time for safety reasons, he said.
“We have two focuses,” Muñoz said. “The first one and the most important one is the safety for our patrons, friends, families, neighbors and employees. That’s an absolute priority. The other priority is
the need for our patrons to recreate. It is important to their physical health, as well as their mental health, to get out and exercise. We have been hearing from the public and they are anxious to have the facilities open.”
As a matter of fact, the public has been more than anxious, he said.
“I check on the building and I see residents driving around to see if it’s open, or stopping by to see if it’s open,” Muñoz said. “That’s definitely a compliment to the staff and the facilities that we have. That people would miss us and see that as a need. It’s important to open, but it’s equally or more important that we open up safely.”
But the opening of the Chavez Center represents an important step in the city’s recovery, he said.
“Opening is important for our well-being and it gives residents a sense of community,” Muñoz said. “We’ve all been shuttered in and people are missing that, and craving that. It’s therapeutic.”
Already, 51 parks and rec employees have been trained in small groups in COVID-safe practices in an effort to keep the facility, and everybody using it and working there, safe and healthy, he said.
And it’s going to take cooperation from everyone to keep it that way.
“We have to work through our processes and behaviors,” he said. “These are work practices for employees and new behaviors for residents. You have to wear the masks while recreating or exercising.”
Some of the changes include the fact that swimmers may no longer shower on site before getting in the pool, but are asked to shower prior to arrival. Masks must be worn at all times; swimmers can remove their mask before getting into the water.
A total of 24 spots are available, 16 in lanes for lap swimmers with one swimmer per lane, and eight in the shallow end for vertical exercising.
Other restrictions include:
25 spots available for weight room, track, mezzanine, nook and functional training room, with no more than 10 people allowed in any one area
Patrons are asked to wipe down equipment before and after use
Personal one-on-one training is allowed, but there will be no group training
Adjacent pieces of equipment will be taped off to create adequate social distance
Fitness classes will not take place during Phase One
No organized basketball games
Bring your own ball, if possible
No pickle ball, badminton or table tennis until further notice
Pickle ball and tennis are currently available outdoors in designated parks
“The experience is going to feel different, and it’s going to be different,” Muñoz said. “But we have to make sure we’re doing everything we can to provide a great experience to help people recreate and to do it safely.”
As for those brandnew racquetball courts, “hopefully somebody will be able to use them soon,” Muñoz said.