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By Dylana Kneeshaw

GYMS RE-OPENING

Gyms re-opening soon with adjusted restrictions, still asking for facility transmission data

Jan 18, 2022 | 4:44 PM

KAMLOOPS — Most of the provincial restrictions announced back in December are staying in effect for now, but fitness facilities will soon be allowed to re-open on Thursday (Jan. 20).

Gyms and fitness centres were shut down for one month as health officials tried to curb the spread of the Omicron variant of concern. Most gyms complied with the order, while some refused to stop operating, and felt they should have been shown more evidence around COVID-19 spread in fitness facilities.

Greg Kozoris of Kozoris Acceleration Strength & Conditioning had to shut down adult training sessions and limit facility operations to youth programs. He’s among gym owners who followed the public health orders and says closing would have been less frustrating if they were shown more specific data around transmission rates in fitness facility settings.

“It’d make it a lot easier. Here’s the stats, here’s what we’ve collected, so that we can know. And then that would be it,” he says. “I still have faith in it. I mean these laws are put in place by experts who are in positions of power to know that with their expertise, but yeah that would be nice to know.”

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Dr. Henry reiterated today (Jan. 18) in a briefing that the decision was made as a precaution in light of rapidly spreading Omicron cases.

Going forward, those in the fitness industry hope the pandemic situation improves so restrictions that shut down smaller athletic training facilities or gyms aren’t required. So their clients, especially youth, can keep accessing what is often their spiritual, mental, and physical health outlet.

“You know, I understand tournaments, or mass places (being closed). But small areas where they can go and do that – and if that’s taken away, the long-term effects I can only surmise it won’t be that good as far as mental health goes.”

This week’s announcement is welcome news for gyms and fitness centres, but businesses who need to remain closed are still hoping for a way forward.

“We’ve had a lot of organizations in our community who don’t have any documented cases, or they don’t know that they have documented cases,” Kamloops Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Acacia Pangilinan says, “And I think people want to be able to prove that they can do things responsibly and safely, but they don’t even have that opportunity with being closed.”

The local chamber is hoping to move away from needing grants to bail out shuttered businesses and is eager to move into a place in the pandemic where adjusted restrictions could allow more businesses to safely open.