The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
‘Y’-IDE OPEN AGAIN
East, Outdoor, West YMCA locations welcome members back; Painesville remains closed
Lake County YMCA locations, closed since March 16, are now open with the exception of Painesville’s Central Branch.
Gov. Mike DeWine recently announced guidance for gyms and exercise facilities on how to safely resume operations beginning on May 26. Based on current health protocols due to the novel coronavirus, limited services are being offered.
During the reopening stage, the Central Y in Painesville will remain closed, noted Kelly Penzenik, Lake County YMCA director of marketing and communications.
“Central will continue to host and care for children whose parents were deemed essential during this pandemic,” Penzenik said. “Pandemic child care will run through May 31. While we don’t have a specific date in mind, Painesville will open very shortly.
“All pools at all branch and outdoor facilities also remain closed at this time, and will open in subsequent stages,” she added. “We will also introduce several new safety protocols and continue to work with all county officials in the interest of protecting the health of both our members and staff.”
Trails at the Outdoor Y in Perry remain open, Penzenik added.
Social distancing measures will be implemented, and elevated cleaning protocols remain in practice at all locations, with each branch closing for one hour twice a day for extensive deep cleans.
At the West End Y at Union Village in Willoughby and the East End Y in Madison hours are weekdays 6 to 11 a.m. for general membership; noon to 2 p.m. for seniors and immuno-suppressed; and 3 to 7 p.m. for general membership. Guest passes will not be offered at this time.
Both branches are open 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays and closed on Sundays.
“Service at these locations will be restricted to the main wellness area per the governor’s initial guidelines,” Penzenik said. “Capacity at each branch has also been reduced to 50 persons at West End and 40 at East End, and we’re asking members to limit their time on a single piece of equipment to 45 minutes as well as their overall time in the facility to 90 minutes. Members must also check out now as staff continues to monitor how many are in a building.”
Live with the Y Zoom workouts are also available for members, in addition to Staff-at-Home workouts.
YMCA officials are requesting that all visitors adhere to the following safety regulations:
• Temperature Checks — prior to coming into the facility; if over 100.4, remain at home
• Wipe Down Equipment — with cleaning materials provided, before and after working out
• Keep Your Distance — respect all signs regarding social distancing; remain least six feet away from others wherever possible
• Expect Reduced Capacity — at times of full capacity, members will be asked to wait in a designated area until space is available
• Wear Your Mask — while not required, the Y strongly requests that members wear their masks whenever possible, especially in common areas
• Stay Home if You’re Sick — Center for Disease Control and Prevention and state guidelines encourage seniors and other vulnerable populations to stay home
• Keep the Kids at Home — due to limited space, staff members are unable to provide child watch services at this time
“We’re thrilled to be back to serve our members and the community,” said YMCA Chief Operations Officer Alyssa Gustwiller. “And we’ll continue moving forward in stages as directed by all health directives and procedures.”
“Service at these locations will be restricted to the main wellness area per the governor’s initial guidelines.” — Kelly Penzenik, Lake County YMCA director of marketing and communications