Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Association facilities opening
Fitness centers open by appointment only with limited hours
BELLA VISTA — The Property Owners Association is officially opening some of its doors.
The fitness center at Riordan Hall opened last week after some rearranging and with some restrictions in place, and this week the fitness center at Branchwood opened Monday, alongside the Bella Vista Bar and Grill at the country club.
Lakepoint is expected to open today.
The Bella Vista Bar and Grill, with an updated menu, will be open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, with senior hour from 3 to 4 p.m.
Lakepoint will be open from 3 to 8 p.m., with senior hour from 3 to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday for brunch.
Lakepoint will be by appointment only and appointments can be made by calling (479) 855-8110.
Association general manager Tom Judson said the restaurants have been rearranged to comply with social distancing requirements and capacity is limited to 33%.
“We once again brought out the tape measure and made sure every table is 10 feet apart,” he said.
Customers will be required to wear a face mask until their food is served, he said, and reservations are preferred to help avoid wait times.
Staff will also be wearing masks and gloves, he said.
“We’re happy that we’re able to get our staff back,” he said. “It’ll be good to see customers again also.”
As the restaurants open, it’s impossible to guess how much business they can expect because there are a lot of factors that could influence the public’s decision to dine out or stay home.
“On the one hand, I’m thinking that it may be slow because people are going to continue to be cautious. On the other hand, I’m thinking we might get slammed. We don’t know,” Judson said.
Both fitness centers are open by appointment only from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday and 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.
Appointments can be made at (479) 855-8170 for Riordan Hall and (479) 8558181 for Branchwood.
Tennis and pickleball will be available as well, with new safety guidelines.
The courts will be open for casual play, private lessons and small groups of less than 10, with no patio seating or congregating before or after matches.
The tennis pro shop will be open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 to 8 p.m., as well a from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.
For Riordan Hall, a large portion of exercise equipment was moved into the facility’s auditorium to ensure the state-required 12 feet between pieces of equipment. Equipment will also be rearranged at Metfield for the same reason, he added.
In its first few days, he said, Riordan Hall saw 52, 34 and 53 people on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.
“People are happy to get out, they’re complying with all the regulations,” Judson said.
Riordan Hall manager Cathy Wilmoth said appointments are made in one-hour blocks, from the beginning and end of the hour.
Riordan Hall can host 10 people per hour and members are limited to a single hour per day.
Members are required to wear a mask when not working out and are being screened for potential covid-19 signs on entry, she said, and are required to wipe down their equipment immediately after use with an antimicrobial wipe — something she said gym users have had no problem doing.
Water fountains, showers, whirlpools and locker rooms are closed, she added, and gym-goers should bring their own water bottles.
The staff is also wearing masks and sanitizing the facility frequently, she said.
Riordan Hall benefited from its fairly open layout, which allowed it to be quickly rearranged to properly space equipment and set up a one-way foot traffic pattern, she said.The portions of the building not in use for fitness activity are currently closed, she added.
“I spent four days making sure I had everything in place,” Wilmoth said.
Lane Burrow, an association member who lives in Bella Vista, laid on a bench shoving dumbbells toward the ceiling.
Burrow said he frequents the fitness center every other day and appreciates being able to return to his routine.
“I’m excited to be back,” he said. “There’s just no substitute.”
His family tried a home workout routine with equipment in storage and jogging alongside the street, but it didn’t quite match the workout one gets at a proper facility, he said.
For one, the lack of proper equipment made working out tough, he said — and home exercise equipment is scarce on store shelves.
Starting back at the gym, despite some consistent home exercise, Burrow said he felt like he’d gotten weaker — but he’s still eager to get back into the habit, even if he mostly looks forward to finishing his last set once he’s at the gym.
It’s also nice to see friendly faces, including the facility staff and other gym-goers.
“Even though we’re social distancing, the social part is enjoyable,” Burrow said. Keith Bryant may be reached by email at kbryant@nwadg.com.
“People are happy to get out, they’re complying with all the regulations.” — Tom Judson, POA general manager