QUEEN CREEK, Ariz. — Local gyms both big and small are hoping to reopen when Governor Ducey’s executive order expires at the end of April.
Themistocles Patramanis wrote an online letter, submitted through the governor’s website, to plead his case. Patramanis owns Human Equilibrium in Cave Creek. He says he may have to close if the shutdown continues through May.
“As a small gym, we have the ability to take adequate measures to keep our members safe,” Patramanis wrote.
He outlined six supporting points to show that his gym and others are able to maintain social distance and basic hygiene to protect gym members and the public.
It’s not just small gyms that are considering reopening.
Eos Fitness is the largest gym operator in Arizona. This week, the San Diego-based company sent out a questionnaire to is members to ask what they would be comfortable with returning to if and when the gym was allowed to open back up.
The questionnaire includes suggestions like gym members wearing masks as well as floor monitors to ensure people in the gym are maintaining their social distance while working out. The questionnaire asks members how they would feel about having to make reservations to work out to ensure the gym is not too full for members to stay apart.
A representative for Eos declined to comment for this story, saying the questions had only recently been sent out and that they didn’t have enough data from responses to comment on what their members prefer.
Patramanis believes one month has been enough to figure out how to deal with the virus without keeping everything shut down.
“It seems from the beginning we didn’t really have a plan. We just kind of shut down out of panic and out of reaction,” Patramanis said. “Now we’ve had more than a month to think in a logical way and figure out solutions that could work, maintain the economy, and still protect ourselves."
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