General News
1 June, 2020
Gyms ready to open
LOCALS can rejoice after Essential Fitness, along with other gyms across the region, announced they will be reopening their doors after the stage two restrictions were brought forward.
LOCALS can rejoice after Essential Fitness, along with other gyms across the region, announced they will be reopening their doors after the stage two restrictions were brought forward.
Essential Fitness in Mareeba is excited to open again after nearly four months of being closed.
Gyms were forced to shut down in March, one of the first industries to close amid the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.
To make it through the lock-down period Essential Fitness decided to hire out its equipment to its patrons to try and keep the community fit and involved.
Now with restrictions easing and the gym set to reopen, residents can once again visit the gym under new strict regulations and guidelines, along with following the directions handed down the Queensland Government and Queensland Health patrons will now be subject to a ‘No towel no train’ policy.
The policy is in place to better protect other gym users and their staff, people will also have to bring their own mats if they wish to participate in the group workout sessions.
Essential Fitness manager, Jamie Lumley is excited for the doors to swing open again and for people to come back through the door.
“We are very excited to be reopening,” she said.
“It has definitely been a tough time not only for us but for the community who made it part of their routine to go to the gym.
“I think people will be excited to get back into their routines and get out of the house.”
Essential Fitness isn’t the only business who is glad for the stage two restrictions to be lifted as both Cairns Total Physio and FNQ Podiatry and Othotics also operate out of the same building.
Cairns Total Physio was classed as an essential service and has been operating through the pandemic, but they did suffer a loss in business during the lockdown period.
Tim Lowcock, one of the directors of Cairns Total Physio suspects that business will continue to climb steadily as restrictions are lifted further.
“We were obviously quieter during the lockdown but we are starting to get back to normal hours,” he said.
“Normally we would have a waiting list for clients but that has been reduced a little bit.
“So we are operating as normal while following the new guidelines and hygiene guidelines handed down by the government.”
Kyle Richardson, Director for FNQ Podiatry and Orthotics said the business was also classed as essential and remained open during the lock-
down.
“People are more confident now to get out and get to their appointments,” he said.
“We are now seeing a lot of people with running related injuries as the gyms have been closed and people have been forced to find other ways to exercise.
“It was a trying time for everyone so it’s great to see the restrictions slowly be lifted and everyone getting back to a sense of normalcy.”
