OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — On Monday, the YMCA of Greater Omaha announced it would be beginning the process of reopening its 10 locations while following health restrictions and keeping members' safety in mind.
"Working closely with the Center for Disease Control as well as local, state and federal officials, the YMCA of Greater Omaha has been diligently preparing its facilities for a reopening, once and when deemed safe to do so," the organization said in a press release.
With the recent loosening of COVID-related restrictions in Iowa, The Charles E. Lakin YMCA in Council Bluffs, IA and the Mills County YMCA in Glenwood, IA will reopen its Wellness Centers on May 18, welcoming back respective members to limited operations and amenities. With the safety of seniors and active older adults in mind, the YMCA Healthy Living Center in Council Bluffs, IA will reopen at a later, yet-to-be-determined date.
With Nebraska's directed health measures still in place, and pending the state's upcoming scheduled loosening of restrictions, all seven Nebraska-based YMCA’s are tentatively planning to reopen on June 1. The YMCA of Greater Omaha’s Nebraska facilities include the Armbrust, Southwest, Butler-Gast, Maple Street, Downtown, Sarpy and Twin Rivers facilities.
Services and amenities will be limited to Wellness Center floors only, which includes cardio and weight equipment, free weights and walking tracks. Other operations such as aquatics and swimming pools, group exercise classes, child watch services and other member amenities will be reintroduced in the near future, once deemed safe to do so by health official guidelines. Online, virtual workouts and classes are still available on the Y Without Walls webpage of www.metroymca.org.
Members can expect to find the following in place, upon returning to the YMCA of Greater Omaha:
· Facilities will operate at or below 50% occupancy at all times, on a first-come/first-serve basis
· Only members 15 years and older will be allowed to access the facility
· Proper social distancing will be in place, with 6’ distance markers and some equipment and stations marked as unavailable for use
· Gym, swimming pools, Group Exercise, Child Watch, locker rooms, steam/sauna, coffee stations and towel service will not be available
· Water fountains will be bottle fill only
· Y staff will adhere to safety guidelines including key staff wearing face masks
· Additional cleaning protocols will be implemented at all facilities
More information on future operations will be announced in the coming weeks
