Mahaska County YMCA Set To Open May 4th
To the community of Mahaska County,
Thank you for your continued support of our Mahaska County YMCA. What follows below are details on the opening of the Mahaska County YMCA facility on Monday May 4th, following the recent announcement from the Governor to open our fitness facility. Our first call was to the Mahaska County Emergency Management Agency on Monday the 27th. We have reviewed our plans of operations with their office and received the green light to proceed at this time. Thank you to our friends at the EMA office.
The YMCA will open its door’s on Monday May 4th. It will follow the guidelines outlined by the CDC, federal and local government agencies. The operational outlines listed below will be in place starting Monday and will continue as to such time as deemed safe and prudent to update. The guidelines listed below are also fluid in their implantation date and ending date and the Y shares that stricter policies could be put in place, up to including having to close again, based on community response and COVD-19 cases in our county and state. While the YMCA does not wish to close, we value our communities safety and also adhere to and comply with all local, state and federal mandates.
NOTE: Our licensed childcare facilities at Kids Corner and Webster have been operating and will continue to operate as normal. We still have spots available for school age children needing care for the essential and emergency personnel in our county. Procedure below are only pertaining to the YMCA facility.
Operational Procedures starting May 4th 2020:
- Hour of Operation: 7am – 7pm Monday -Friday. Saturday 8am-12pm. Sunday Closed.
- Response: It has been advised to open with fewer hours at first to best follow the sanitizing and social distancing guidelines. At such time that guidelines are relaxed, the YMCA will expand its hours with the goal to returning to its original operational hours pre-COVD, at such time it is deemed safe and practical. Future updates will be shared when we make these changes.
- Age limitations: 18 years of age and older can enter the facility.
- 13 years of age up to 17 years of age may enter and use the fitness equipment while accompanied by their parent/guardian.
- 12 years and under will not be allowed in the facility.
- Response: The YMCA loves children and we value their safety and we seek to keep them away from exposure from large groups. See similar reasons given for closing schools.
- Guests & Nationwide:
- We cannot accept guest passes or YMCA Nationwide Memberships at this time.
- Entry is for Mahaska County YMCA members only. New memberships are being sold and encouraged!
- Amenities OPEN:
- Fitness center with cardio machines. We are expanding our machines into two rooms, to not only keep 6 feet distance between machines, but also utilize as many machines as possible, without having to close down a machine for being too close together.
- Racquetball court
- Scheduled Group exercises classes (and pickleball)
- We are moving classes to the gymnasium to allow expansion of space and will have no more than 9 members in a class, with more than 6 feet of distance.
- We are planning to bring back favorite classes as BodyPump and Spin, all held in the gym.
- As class attendance rises, we will look to offer additional classes to meet community demand.
- Weight room. Both free weights and selectorized machines.
- Both rooms will have Y staff to assist, monitor and continually sanitize.
- Each room will be monitored to stay under 10 individuals
- Amenities CLOSED:
- No workout or shower towels are available.
- All locker rooms. Public bathrooms are still available, but no lockers or showers are available at this time.
- Swimming Pool: The governor has not opened any pool in the state of Iowa. Our pool will remain closed until such time the Governor opens indoor pools.
- Child watch: We apologize but we are not allowing under 12 year of age in the facility and we are not opening our free childcare (childwatch) while you workout at this time.
- Gymnasium for pick-up basketball or shoot arounds.
- The gym is only available for scheduled Y programming of classes and pickleball (see above in “open” section.)
- Group Exercise room and small group training room (Queenax) and Spin room
- Group x and spin classes are being moved to the gymnasium. Just the former room is closed, as it is a smaller location.
- Safety:
- We will ask members to scan their own card and limit staff touches
- Internal doors will be propped, with-in safety restrictions, to limit touches
- Extra sanitizing stations have been ordered. (like most of the country, these and additional PPE are on back order.)
- All staff will be required to wear PPE gloves while working.
- Members are encouraged to wear protective gloves and masks while entering and leaving the building. Though it is not advised to workout with a facemask, as it limits your breathing/oxygen uptake while exertion in exercise.
- Signs will be posted warning of COVD-19 risk factors and asking anyone with signs or symptoms of COVD-19 or other illness to please stay away and through the self-isolation protocols are complete.
- Summer Camp:
- We are planning to run a full summer, day camp starting June 1st. Pending any Governor restrictions or mandates.
Community Support Needed:
- Please share equipment and space. Please work with our staff as we monitor safety guidelines and limit rooms to no more than 10 people. We apologize in advance for any delay in exercise time should you arrive and we are at a current max room limit.
- Clean before and after yourself. We are brining in extra disinfectant supplies and encourage our members to help keep us sanitized.
- Be patient. We do not have every answer. We know there will be hiccups. We can work together for a solution and together we can rise above these challenges.
- Donations of PPE. We know several industries have been hard at work and need PPE just as much as others. If there are extra PPE or you are able to donate PPE, we appreciate your consideration!
