After closing its facilities in mid-March and transitioning many of its locations to support emergency child care services for first responders and medical personnel during the coronavirus pandemic, the YMCA of Central Kentucky today announced it will reopen a number of its locations on June 1, 2020.
The first phase of reopening of the Y will include: wellness centers with all the health and safety protocols associated with them, including physical distancing, installing additional sanitation stations, and limited hours.
Additional phases of reopening at later dates will include group exercise classes, basketball gymnasiums, child watch, youth sports programs, swimming pools, steam rooms, whirlpools, and saunas. More information about these phases will be made available at the appropriate time on the Y’s website.
SAFETY PROTOCOLS AND PROCEDURES
“When we closed our facilities in March, we did so to protect the health and well-being of our staff, volunteers, members, and participants. As we reopen our facilities, we do so with that same commitment to keeping everyone who enters our doors safe,” said Paula Anderson, chief operating officer at the YMCA of Central Kentucky.
In preparation for reopening facilities, the Y is adapting facilities and procedures to meet guidelines set forth by the CDC and the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Fitness equipment and areas, locker and restrooms, common areas and office spaces, will be cleaned and sanitized to meet the highest standards for hygiene and safety.
The YMCA requests members comply with all social distancing standards and additional safety protocols outlined by the CDC and Commonwealth of Kentucky. The Y asks those who do come to the facilities to please wear face masks wherever possible, especially in common areas. The Y also asks that members in groups considered at risk wait until health officials consider it safe for them to return.
“The YMCA of Central Kentucky has served this community for the past 167 years, during which we have made it through many challenging times together, none perhaps as impactful for our community and our Y as this COVID crisis,” said Anderson.“We are thrilled to begin reopening our facilities, welcoming back our members and the community, and getting back to what we do best – helping everyone reach their full potential.”
LOCATIONS AND HOURS
The Whitaker Family YMCA in Hamburg and the C.M. Gatton Beaumont YMCA will be open Monday-Friday, 5:30 a.m. – 8 p.m.; Saturday 6 a.m. – 6 p.m.; and Sunday from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
The North Lexington Family YMCA, High Street YMCA and Frankfort’s Prevention Park facility will be open the same hours Monday through Saturday, but will be closed on Sundays.
The Caroline Memorial YMCA Program Center and the Frankfort Downtown YMCA will remain closed at this time. Both YMCA childcare centers, the Center for Children in Lexington and the Crayon Club in Frankfort, remain closed.
“We are so excited to reopen our facilities to our community. More importantly, however, our Y has always been more than a building. Our Y is about people – people from all backgrounds and walks of life who come together to improve their lives, nurture their families, and strengthen their community,” Anderson said. “We are so incredibly grateful to the people who have stood by us throughout these challenging times. You were here for your community when it needed it most, and we remain here for you.”