Class is back in session at Limitless Training in Victoria. After being forced to shut down for two months, Island Health is now allowing gyms and fitness centres to reopen.
Owner Wesley Wood lost 70 per cent of his memberships throughout the shutdown, so Tuesday’s reopening comes as a relief.
“We’re really excited. So you know it’s obviously been a few months that we’ve been closed. I’ve been trying to do my best to do some renovations and get things prepared. Even just the few classes we’ve had on today, people were just overjoyed,” said Wood.
His Johnson Sreet gym offers personal training, strength and spin classes and more.
Gyms won’t be back at full capacity for the time being, as they must meet the guidelines put in place by Island Health. But for fitness lovers, even limited access is more than enough.
“Couldn’t be more excited it’s been a long two months. You know it’s just exciting to be back,” said Limitless Training client Erik Harper.
But for many facilities, the four days notice given by Island Health wasn’t enough time for them to be ready. Studio 4 Athletics, one of the bigger gyms right in the heart of downtown Victoria, reopening will be a process.
“It’s not like you just flick a light switch and let’s all go again. As far as a full-blown schedule that’s ready to go, we usually do about 160 classes a month. So to have it all sorta put together in four days is not very time appropriate,” said co-owner Darcy Dommett.
The opening may be a few weeks away, but Dommett says they know their clients will be raring to go when the doors open up.
“The Q-10 is now what everybody is talking about. It’s the quarantine 10. It’s the 10 pounds everyone put on during quarantine, so time to get fit again” Dommett said.
Studio 4 plans to officially reopen on June 1.
Ben Nesbit
