Gyms across Canberra are gearing up for a potential return to business next weekend.
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The ACT is due to proceed to stage two coronavirus restrictions on May 30, when gyms may be allowed to open for up to 20 people at a time.
Club Lime and Hiit Republic operator Viva Liesure is eagerly awaiting the advice and busy making plans to reopen.
Head of marketing Leah Doyle said the company was considering having a staged reopening of its gyms.
It might mean some of its facilities initially open purely for group fitness, while others would open just their gym spaces.
It is also going to implement a virtual customer counter, allowing members to check if a gym is reaching restricted capacity before they visited.
Head of fitness Matt Eikenhout said all the staff were excited to get back to work and were hoping for the tick of approval to reopen soon.
The industry has been among the hardest hit from lockdown measures, with gyms forced to close their doors since March.
"We had 14 or 16 hours notice to close doors of 80 sites around Australia," he said.
"About 1000 staff were affected. JobKeeper and JobSeeker came along which was great, but it was very stressful... It hit hard for a lot of the staff.
"People working in this industry are pretty active themselves, so there's huge excitement and anticipation to get the facilities reopened."
Ms Doyle said the company would begin a communication push to its members, reminding them of the social distancing requirements when gyms are allowed to open.
Gyms will all be equipped with hand sanitising stations, extra cleaning of equipment, and floor decals encouraging social distancing.
F45 Belconnen owner Sam Issa says he will open his gym as soon as it's allowed - even if it isn't financially viable for just 20 clients at a time.
He said the gym took an immediate 80 per cent hit in revenue when it had to close.
He moved to Zoom classes and has worked hard to maintain interactions with clients.
This week, the gym started holding outdoor sessions for 10 clients at a time.
"For us it's about keeping our clients engaged," he said.
"We need to come out the other end with a client base intact.
"If that means a cost to maintain customers into the future and do the right thing by them, we're wearing that."
Chief Minister Andrew Barr is expected to announce the next round of restrictions to be eased on May 29.
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Under stage two of the national plan, businesses like gyms, cinemas, galleries, and zoos may be allowed to open for up to 20 patrons at a time.
Mr Barr said the dates to ease COVID-19 restrictions were dependent on the ACT continuing to suppress virus numbers.
- For information on COVID-19, please go to the ACT Health website or the federal Health Department's website.
- You can also call the Coronavirus Health Information Line on 1800 020 080
- If you have serious symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, call Triple Zero (000)
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