By Kate Hill

Staff Writer

On Aug. 24 Cazenovia Community Fitness (CCF) welcomed clients back inside its 24-hour fitness club and group fitness studio for the first time in five and a half months.

Since the facility’s state-mandated closure, CCF owners Marla Velky-Reger and Meghan Kelly have maintained regular communication with the department of health and the Onondaga and Madison County Executive offices regarding reopening and jumped on any opportunity to help meet their clients’ fitness needs.

Throughout the shutdown, CCF offered virtual classes free for club members, loaned out equipment for home workouts, and hosted outdoor classes when possible.

“Our clients who opted to keep their monthly memberships active [during the shutdown] are the reason CCF is still able to be a part of the small business community in Cazenovia,” said Kelly. “We also had clients continue to pay for and take the 20-plus Zoom classes we offered each week, since day one of the shutdown. Throughout this time, the expenses of running a small business continue. Those memberships and class clients kept us afloat, and we will always be grateful for that loyalty and support.”

On Aug. 17, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that gyms and fitness centers could begin reopening at 33 percent capacity while following rigorous health and safety protocols.

“The guidelines from the state were clear and communicated with enough time to get everything ready for reopening on Monday,” Kelly said. “We were waiting for this green light and were determined to do the hard work to get the facility ready for a safe reopening for our community.”

In accordance with the state’s guidance, CCF clients must adhere to the following protocols:

• Sign up for an “open gym” time slot (every hour on the hour) or a class on the CCF app or website. The fitness club is restricted to 11 clients and classes are restricted to three clients.
• Check for an email confirmation and complete the linked health screening prior to arrival.
• Enter the studio five minutes before the start of class.
• Sanitize hands upon entering the club or studio.
• Scan CCF key fob to enter the club and to verify the information provided on the health screening form.
• Wear clean indoor sneakers and a mask at all times. If needed, disposable masks are available at the club and studio entrances.
• One client is permitted in the restrooms at a time. The club showers will remain closed until further notice.
• Practice social distancing in classes and when using cardio and strength equipment.
• Disinfect equipment before and after use.
• Stay home if feeling unwell.

CCF has been outfitted with medical-grade Intellipure air purification systems.

According to an Aug 23. CCF e-newsletter, each machine is individually tested and certified to provide 99.99 percent efficiency at capturing particles down to 0.007 micron in size.

Intellipure DFS technology has been proven to capture and eliminate particles smaller than that of COVID-19. The systems are currently used in the Mayo Clinic, the United Arab Emirates field hospitals, NY Health and Hospital, Atlantic Health System, Crouse Hospital, and more.

“We felt it was important to make this investment in our clients and instructors to ensure the highest level of air quality,” Kelly said.

As of Aug. 26, eight instructors were offering classes. According to Kelly, additional members of the CCF team are expected to return in the coming weeks.

“It has been so great to see our CCF friends back on site,” she said. “We are also continuing to offer Zoom classes, in addition to outdoor workouts in order to accommodate all of our clients’ comfort levels with the new COVID-19 requirements at CCF . . . We pledge to do our best to accommodate our clients’ varying needs to the best of our ability.”

CCF is offering an average of five to seven outdoor classes per week with each class accommodating up to 20 people.

On Sept. 12, with a rain date Sept. 13, CCF will celebrate its fourth anniversary.

From 9 to 10:30 a.m. the fitness center will offer a “round-robin” featuring 10 minutes of a variety of classes and instructors. “Treats & Toasts” will follow the round robin. Beauty Counter retailers will be on site and all CCF merchandise will be 10 percent off all weekend. Gift cards will also be available for purchase.

For more information on CCF, visit cazenoviacommunityfitness.com.