Cortez Recreation staff walk you through the health and safety measures they’ve adopted to protect users when the facility opens. Be prepared for some changes.
AS WITH ALL THINGS COVID, FINDING A BALANCE BETWEEN PERSONAL FREEDOM AND THE RIGHT TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM INFECTION IS AT THE HEART OF THE CITY'S PLANS TO REOPEN THE COMMUNITY'S BELOVED RECREATION CENTER. YOU'RE WATCHING THE THE LOCAL NEWS NETWORK, BROUGHT TO YOU BY KEESEE MOTORS. I'M WENDY GRAHAM SETTLE. WHEN THE CORTEZ RECREATION CENTER GETS THE THUMBS UP TO RE-OPEN FROM THE COLORADO GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, STAFF ARE READY TO UNLOCK THE DOORS TO PATRONS, BUT THEY WON'T BE WIDE OPEN. AS WITH MOST DEBATES AROUND OPENING PUBLIC PLACES AFTER TWO MONTHS OF DEVASTATING ECONOMIC CLOSURES AND STAY-AT-HOME ORDERS, THE CITY OF CORTEZ IS TRYING TO BALANCE SAFETY WITH RESIDENTS' DESIRE TO GET BACK TO NORMAL AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
PEOPLE WANT TO GET TOGETHER. THEY MISS THAT INTERCONNECTION WITH OTHERS, AND THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT fOR MENTAL AND PHYSICAL WELL BEING TO HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY. BUT THEY'RE ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT COMING OUT TOO SOON. AND THEN THE VIRUS IS STILL AROUND HERE AND THERE'S DANGER AROUND. SO, IT'S, IT'S KIND OF A FINE BALANCE BETWEEN, SOCIAL GET-TOGETHERS AND A PHYSICAL, YOU KNOW, WELL BEING. SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A COMPROMISE. LAVEY JOINED THE LOCAL NEWS NETWORK AND RECREATION CENTER STAFF FOR A TOUR OF THE SAFEY MEASURES THAT WILL WELCOME PATRONS WHEN GOVERNOR POLIS EASES RESTRICTIONS ON GYMNASIUMS AND SPAS. THOSE FACILITIES REMAIN CLOSED UNDER THE MOST GOVERNOR'S MOST RECENT HEALTH ORDERS, BUT RECREATION CENTER STAFF EXPECT TO OPEN SOON, AND THEY HOPE THAT PATRONS WILL BE RESPECTFUL OF EACH OTHER AND THE SAFETY MEASURES THEY'LL FIND.
THE STAFF HERE AT THE REC CENTER IS VERY AWARE THAT THIS IS A POLARIZING ISSUE. WE DON'T FEEL LIKE ANYBODY'S RIGHT OR ANYBODY'S WRONG. WE ARE VERY MUCH GOING TO PORTRAY RESPECT MUTUAL RESPECT FOR EACH OTHER. SAFETY IS A BIG ISSUE, WHETHER PERCEIVED OR REAL. SO WE WOULD LIKE TO REALLY ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'VE DONE IN OUR PRECAUTIONS TO OPEN THE RECREATION CENTER, TO MAKE PEOPLE FEEL WELCOMED AND SAFE AT THE SAME TIME. TO START, RECREATION STAFF RECOMMEND THAT YOU PREPARE FOR YOUR WORKOUT AT HOME. WEAR YOUR GYM CLOTHES, BRING A FULL BOTTLE OF WATER, AND WEAR A MASK WHEN YOU ARRIVE. WHEN YOU EXERCISE, MASKS WILL BE OPTIONAL BUT ENCOURAGED. BEFORE YOU HEAD TO THE MACHINES, AN ATTENDANT WILL TAKE YOUR TEMPERATURE AT THE DOOR. IF YOUR TEMPERATURE IS ONE HUNDRED POINT FOUR DEGREES OR HIGHER, YOU'LL BE ASKED TO WAIT TEN MINUTES TO COOL DOWN . . . JUST IN CASE YOU WALKED OVER IN HOT WEATHER OR YOU WERE IN A HOT CAR PRIOR TO ARRIVAL. IF YOUR TEMPERATURE CONTINUES TO EXCEED THE ONE HUNDRED POINT FOUR DEGREE LIMIT, YOU'LL BE ASKED TO GO HOME FOR A FEW DAYS. ONCE INSIDE, YOU'LL FOLLOW A PATH TO THE CHECK-IN DESK, WHERE YOU WILL USE YOUR MEMBERSHIP CARD TO REGISTER. THE FINGERPRINT I D HAS BEEN REMOVED TO PROTECT PATRONS FROM SURFACES THAT MAY HARBOR THE CORONAVIRUS. YOU ALSO CAN CHECK IN WITH DESK ATTENDANTS, BUT THEY'LL BE BEHIND A PLEXIGLASS BARRIER FOR THEIR PROTECTION. A SEATING AREA IS AVAILABLE FOR CHANGING SHOES. FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONAL ARROWS TO YOUR CHOSEN EXERCISE EQUIPMENT.
IF YOU ARE PREFER AN EXERCISE EQUIPMENT THAT ISN'T ELECTRIC AND DOESN'T PLUG IN, IT WILL BE IN THE GYM, WHICH ARE VERY WELL SPACED APART IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT. AND WE ALSO HAVE A, AN ATTENDANT THERE THAT WILL BE SANITIZING EQUIPMENT AFTER ITS USE. AND THEN IF YOU CHOOSE A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THAT PLUGS IN, OR ONE OF OUR CIRCUIT TRAINING PIECES OF EQUIPMENT, THEY'RE AT LEAST 10 FEET APART IN, IN 99.9 PERCENT OF THE AREA, YOU'RE AT LEAST 10 FEET APART IN EACH OF OUR SECTIONED-OFF GRID. AND IF YOU USE THE WEIGHTLIFTING STATION, WE'RE ASKING THAT AFTER HAND WEIGHTS ARE USED, THAT THEY'RE LAID ON THE FLOOR. AND THE ATTENDANT THAT WE HAVE IN THIS AREA WILL SANITIZE AND THEN PUT BACK ON THE RACKS. IF YOU DRINK ALL YOUR WATER, NON-TOUCH WATER FOUNTAINS ARE AVAILABLE TO FILL THE BOTTLE YOU BROUGHT FROM HOME. FAMILY RESTROOMS WILL BE OPEN ON THE FIRST FLOOR, AND TWO RESTROOMS ON THE SECOND FLOOR. THE ELEVATED TRACK WILL BE CLOSED TO WALKING OR RUNNING, BUT ADDITIONAL EXERCISE EQUIPMENT WILL BE STATIONED IN THE CORNERS. THE POOLS WILL REMAIN CLOSED FOR NOW, ALTHOUGH REC CENTER STAFF HOPE TO FILL THE LAP POOL IN THE NEAR FUTURE, BUT ONE SWIMMER WILL BE LIMITED TO EACH LANE. THE PLAY POOL AND LAZY RIVER WILL REMAIN CLOSED AND ALL INDOOR SPORTS, GROUP LESSONS AND CLASSES ARE CANCELLED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. AS ALL THINGS COVID, THE NEW NORMAL AT THE RECREATION CENTER IS DIFFERENT THAN IT WAS BEFORE THE CORONAVIRUS HIT THE COUNTRY, AND CORTEZ MAYOR MIKE LAVEY ASKS PATRONS TO EXPECT AND BE PATIENT WITH CHANGE.WE HAVE A MULTI-TIERED OPENING REGIMEN. IT'LL, IT'S KIND OF A VERY RESTRICTIVE AT FIRST. AND THEN, AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME, WE'LL GO TO TIER TWO AND FINALLY TIER THREE, AS THINGS, CLEAR UP. ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW IS HAVING WALK-THROUGHS LIKE, LIKE WE'RE HAVING RIGHT NOW. SO PEOPLE KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN THEY COME TO THE REC CENTER. 'CAUSE I'VE HAD A LOT OF INTEREST IN IT IN, THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE. I'M A REGULAR ATTENDEE OF THE SILVER SNEAKERS PROGRAM. I COME THREE TIMES A WEEK FOR THAT, AND I DO SPIN CLASS. SO I KNOW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE NORMALLY, BUT NOW THINGS ARE DIFFERENT.KEEP UP WITH THE LATEST INFORMATION ON OPENINGS AND RESTRICTIONS AT CITY OF CORTEZ DOT COM. I'M WENDY GRAHAM SETTLE AT THE LOCAL NEWS NETWORK.
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