With winter coming and no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the borough, the municipality of Skagway will reopen a long-closed facility.
Skagway’s Recreation Center is scheduled to reopen September 20th after a six month closure due to COVID-19.
It won’t be business as usual.
“It’s limited. I’m sure it’s not going to please everybody. But we want to make an attempt to open very safely,” said Borough Manager Brad Ryan at an assembly meeting. He said the municipality is anticipating the community will need a plan to safely exercise in the winter months.
Katherine Nelson directs Skagway’s Recreation Center. She says reduced hours are among the changes, so she and staff can adequately clean the facility.
“This facility is so necessary for, you know, not just physical but mental well being. And we’re just really, really excited to be able to do what we do over here again,” she said.
Rec center use will be by reservation only, to limit the number of people in the building. Cardio equipment will move to the gym floor to allow for social distancing. Only four people will be allowed in the weight room at a time. Masks will be required.
Fitness classes will also be held in the main gymnasium. Yogis will have to supply their own mats. Nelson says she and the staff are preparing for the new socially distant class format.
“We’ve been doing some practice classes for the teachers to get used to using the microphone and being in a big, big open space and it’s been really fun. The energy is really good right now,” said Nelson.
But there are some parts of the rec center that simply don’t work with pandemic precautions yet.
The showers, rock wall, after school programs, toddler time, playgroup, and open gym won’t resume. Children under the age of thirteen will not be allowed to enter the facility and children under sixteen may only use the weight and cardio facilities or take group fitness classes. They must also be accompanied by an adult.
Nelson says she’s working on a plan to address time for kids in the second phase of reopening, if all goes well.
“My idea is to actually be able to rent out the facility, have people reserve it for the main gym use. Especially if there’s families in town that have been social distancing together. We are really wanting to be able to have them have the opportunity again to play in the main gym,” said Nelson.
The center will be open on Sundays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday 5:30 a.m. until noon, Monday through Thursday, 4 p.m. to 8p.m. The rec center will be closed on Saturdays for now.
Day fees of two dollars per person will replace memberships.
To see the sign up schedule, click the link.