New rules and guidelines for YWCA gyms

May 27, 2020

Updated June 8, 2020

Updated June 5, 2020

Dear YWCA Members,

We hope you and your loved ones are safe and healthy! Good news: YWCA El Paso del Norte Region will resume fitness and aquatics activities and programming at all four locations on June 1, 2020! If you are an EZPay member, your payment will resume on June 2, 2020.

All YWCA facilities will follow Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s guidelines for reopening gyms and exercise facilities. Please note that the safest option during this time is to stay at home and away from others, especially for those who have been deemed to be at greater risk from the effects of the coronavirus. We will welcome back those who wish to return to YWCA gyms and pools with various restrictions and new guidelines.

Our programming will resume at all YWCA locations with reduced hours, altered class schedules, and capacity limitations in accordance with state safety guidelines. Our team is and will continue doing everything in our power to keep facilities clean, sanitized, and to abide by social distancing recommendations. All YWCA participants will be required to follow these guidelines in order to participate in our programming.

We encourage all YWCA participants to consult a medical professional before returning to our fitness and aquatics programs. YWCA is committed to providing a safe and clean environment for our community. We will work to ensure sanitation and enforce social distancing guidelines. We have increased the number of disinfectant sprays and sanitizers available throughout our facilities. Our team members will disinfect fitness areas before and after exercise classes and have increased scheduled cleaning of other fitness areas.

Facility Reopening Guidelines:

  • All participants will have their temperature taken before entering the facility

  • All participants are required to supply their own mask and wear one at all times while in a YWCA facility

    • Masks must cover the mouth and nose

    • Mask may be removed during exercise

  • Gloves that fully cover the wrist to the fingers are required while using exercise equipment or participating in a class that requires equipment

    • Gloves may only be used during exercise.

    • Gloves must be removed after exercise and before leaving the fitness areas to help prevent cross-contamination.

  • Fitness classes will have limited capacity, so members must register for fitness classes one day in advance

    • Registration may be done over the phone

    • Same-day registrations must be made over the phone

    • Participants must check-in a minimum of 15 minutes before class start time

    • Participants who are late forfeit their class registration

    • Registrations for Monday classes will be held on Fridays

    • Participants may not register for fitness classes two days in a row

  • Members in the weight room and cardio areas are limited to 60 minutes per visit

    • Fitness areas must not exceed 50% maximum capacity

  • Social distancing of 6 feet between individuals is required

  • Participants are required to spray down equipment before and after each use

  • Locker rooms and showering facilities are available for use with capacity and spacing restrictions

  • We ask that you help reduce the spread of germs by:

    • Covering your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze and immediately disposing of used tissues in the trash

    • If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow, not your hands

    • Wash your hands after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing

    • Regularly wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds

    • If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol to clean hands

      • YWCA will offer hand sanitizer in our facilities

  • YWCA Fitness and Aquatics facilities will operate Mondays-Thursdays 7 am to 7:30 pm and Fridays 7 am to 7 pm.

    • Open swim will not be offered at this time

    • Please contact YWCA for updated schedules or find them online here

  • Each YWCA participant uses YWCA facilities and equipment at their own risk

  • YWCA reserves the right to refuse service to any participant not complying with the above guidelines.

While we are excited to welcome you back, we are mindful of the risks posed by COVID-19. The below is an excerpt from the governor’s order to open Texas gyms and exercise facilities:

“The virus that causes COVID-19 can be spread to others by infected persons who have few or no symptoms.  Even if an infected person is only mildly ill, the people they spread it to may become seriously ill or even die, especially if that person is 65 or older with pre-existing health conditions that place them at higher risk.  Because of the hidden nature of this threat, everyone should rigorously follow the practices specified in these protocols, all of which facilitate a safe and measured reopening of Texas.  The virus that causes COVID-19 is still circulating in our communities.  We should continue to observe practices that protect everyone, including those who are most vulnerable.”

If you have any questions or concerns about your membership or these new guidelines, please do not hesitate to contact our Branch Operations Administrator, Matt Doherty, at m.doherty@ywcaelpaso.org.

Thank you and we hope to see you soon!