Campus Recreation has begun to open the Basler Center for Physical Activity with new COVID-19 policies, programs and practices as a starting framework for the semester.
The most significant change is the CPA’s movement to a reservation system to protect the health of both CPA workers and students. Members who wish to use the facility must reserve an arrival time and check in at the front desk within 30 minutes of their scheduled entrance. Reservable time slots become available 24 hours in advance, and reservations must be made at least 30 minutes in advance. Reservations are claimed on a first-come, first-served basis.
Once checked in, students are asked to limit their workout to 90 minutes in order to share the space and equipment with other members. Anyone entering and moving throughout the facility is required to wear a mask, but can remove their mask once they begin to work out.
To prevent sweat droplets from reaching other equipment, cardio and weightlifting equipment has been spaced to a distance of 10-12 feet.
“We looked at our square footage and how many people can we accommodate and we do have a capacity for the building,” said Associate Director of Campus Recreation Adam Knobloch. “But that really gives us a better way to manage it so we don’t have people coming to the door and getting turned away because we’re at capacity.”
In order to prevent the CPA from becoming overcrowded, each 30 minute window has room for 30 check-ins. While the max capacity of the building was calculated by Campus Recreation to be 165 total workers and members, safety requirements have created new space and equipment challenges.
Currently the CPA pool, fitness studios, racquetball courts and core/stretching areas are closed with courts 1-3 being repurposed into group fitness areas and court 4 as a storage space.
“Yesterday afternoon the most we had in the facility was between 70 and 80 at a given time, and with that it did feel busy in certain parts,” said Knobloch. “We had more room for people on cardio equipment, treadmills, et cetera, but in some of the areas, such as the free weights, we were very much at capacity.”
The CPA’s new hours are Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. to allow staff and student workers to clean the facility and equipment.
Members are asked to sanitize equipment before and after use with wipes provided by Campus Rec. Those who enter the CPA without a mask will be provided up to two, but those who fail to bring them afterwards will not be allowed to enter.
In addition to COVID-19 concerns, members planning to lift weights are urged not to push themselves too far when returning to the gym. While CPA staff provided spotting for weightlifters in previous semesters, they no longer can due to safety guidelines. Members can still bring a friend to spot them or ask another in the CPA to assist, but both would need to wear their mask throughout the exercise.
“Really we are still encouraging people to lift what they can lift,” said Assistant Director of Operations and Aquatics Savanna Moeller. “Part of it is the safety aspect of it – so where we haven’t been open since sometime in March, you haven’t been able to do the strength training that you normally would have been doing, and so when you’re coming back into the gym, taking that time off does take a toll.”
While the initial offerings are reduced, Campus Rec is hard at work building safe programs for CPA patrons to enjoy throughout the semester. Online fitness resources are available to those remaining at home through the Campus Rec website, and outdoor exploration resources are provided to those interested in the natural exercise opportunities in the area.
For more information regarding the new guidelines and protections in the CPA, visit https://www.etsu.edu/students/campusrec/reopen.php
