The Geneseo Workout Center reopened on Oct. 5 and is free of charge to any faculty, staff or student for the remainder of this semester. Facilities are limited and to be utilized under reservation only, with strict policies and procedures to be followed under New York State law considering the presence of COVID-19.
“Right now, only the weight room is open, so everyone has an adequate amount of room to socially distance,” Intramural and Recreation Director Brooks Hawley said. “The cardio room is closed until further notice.”
Other changes include enhanced cleaning protocols, mask wearing, different doors for entering and exiting, shorter hours and a capacity limit. Locker rooms are also not available for use.
“In the past anyone could come in at any time. Right now, the facility is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.,” Hawley said.
According to the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreation, visitors are encouraged to sign up prior to their visit via a Google Sheet at least 24 hours in advance. On the workout center website, there is a reservation area where the form is available. The reservation link is posted every Monday for the upcoming week, so visitors can plan their workout in advance.
“There’s a full capacity of 30 people. So, when reserving a time, there are 30 slots. You can only go one time per day and the slots are actually 45-minutes long,” Hawley said.
Hawley said that the shifts do account for one hour, but the extra 15 minutes allow time for a staff member to clean all the equipment before the next shift comes in. If a student comes without signing up and the capacity limit isn’t reached, they can still enter the gym; however, Hawley encourages people reserve their spot to ensure admittance.
Anyone with a Geneseo ID can enter the gym, free of charge. Historically, off-campus students would need to purchase a membership if they wanted to use the facilities, according to Hawley.
“The decision was made just to make it simpler for everybody,” Hawley said.
As long as classes are in session, the Workout Center will remain open unless the rules established to prevent the spread of COVID-19 are not followed. The Department of Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreation reserves the right to remove or deny access to the workout center if an individual does not follow the procedures.
“If students don’t wear masks or not cleaning up the equipment after they use it, we will have to close the gym,” Hawley said. “But since we’ve opened three weeks ago, we’ve had no problems with any of the workers or any the students.”
Hawley said he is excited to see people taking advantage of the Workout Center while respecting the rules.
“Students are very happy that there's something outside of their residence halls and or classrooms to do, you know, to fill up their time. And not only for their mental health, but their physical health as well,” Hawley said.
Hawley said that although right now only the weight room is available, there is hope that soon a cardio room will be able to open. There are no workout classes available, but visitors can still request a personal trainer.