This week, The Valley Reporter reached out to personnel from the two Valley gyms, the Bridges Resort and Sugarbush Health and Recreation Center, to inquire about their plans for opening. While neither gym has declared an opening date, both are adamant about adhering to public health guidelines when they do. Of the two gyms, The Bridges is taking the lead in terms of planning a reopening strategy for summer.
THE BRIDGES
The Bridges Resort, Warren, is currently closed. Since the Bridges Resort is a homeowners association as well as a public recreation center, a few staff members are working daily on essential homeowner services such as mail delivery, water system testing and maintenance and financial management. Staff that are able to work remotely are doing so.
The Bridges is creating a multiphase plan for the reopening of the recreation center that will be adjusted to comply with state orders and recommendations of both the state of Vermont and the CDC.
What this opening will look like depends on state orders and CDC recommendations. Bridges Resort manager Kate Cummings expects there will be increased cleaning and disinfecting of all surfaces. “In order to ensure safe social distancing, it is likely that we will need to limit the number of guests in our recreation center. It is possible that we will ask our members to reserve their gym or pool time,” said Cummings.
“We were very happy when Governor Scott determined that outdoor tennis can resume and that groups of 10 or fewer may meet outdoors while practicing social distancing,” said Cummings when asked about the popular summertime tennis clinics at the Bridges. She anticipates opening three outdoor teaching courts and two outdoor red clay courts to homeowners for Memorial Day weekend. “We hope to open our outdoor tennis courts to our tennis members by June 1, at which time we will resume our daily tennis clinics and lessons,” said Cummings.
The Bridges has placed a hold on all memberships for the months of April and May. Members who paid monthly have had their monthly charges waived and members that paid for the entire year will have their memberships extended.
SHaRC
Currently no Sugarbush Health and Recreation Center (SHaRC) staff members are working, and the facility is closed. “We are currently awaiting guidelines from the state on when and how we can open back up,” said Sugarbush chief administrative officer Kevin Babic. “We are working hard to put plans together that allow us to manage all our resort operations within the guidelines that have been set that will best protect our staff, guests and be fiscally responsible to ensure we have a long future. I wish I could report more at this point,” he added.
