LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — On June 1st, gyms can start reopening, and the YMCA of Central Kentucky is getting ready. At the North Lexington location, every other machine is blocked off, and there are plenty of signs reminding people to wipe down equipment.
"We want to work together with our members to make their visits to our facilities as comfortable as they can be while we keep everybody safe," said Paula Anderson, the Chief Operating Officer of the YMCA of Central Kentucky.
On Monday, wellness centers will open back up at all Lexington locations and Prevention Park in Frankfort. Also, pools will reopen for lane reservations only at the Whitaker and the C.M. Gatton Beaumont locations in Lexington. For now, no other programs, like group fitness classes, will be held.
The doors haven't been completely closed over the last few months, though. Since March, the YMCA has offered daycare services at four locations to children of essential workers. As the gym aspect reopens, child care services will change.
"For the next couple of weeks, we're going to continue that service with the essential workers. Child care centers are scheduled to reopen on June 15th, and at that point, we'll start to transition services over to our normal model," said Anderson. "We'll do a little emergency child care for the last couple weeks of June, and then beginning July 6th, our summer camps will open in select locations for July until school starts."
The summer camps, which are open to all children, will look different.
"Parents can expect smaller ratios, groups of ten or fewer for the children," said Anderson. "A lot of outdoor time. Not a lot of cross-pollination of groups. Temperature checks and wellness checks, as we've been doing since the middle of March."
The YMCA plans to follow what schools do even further ahead to fall when it comes to other programs, like school-aged child care and youth sports.
