Tysons Gym Owner Petitioning Northam to Lift Some N. Va. Gym Restrictions

Catherine Douglas Moran May 14, 2020 at 2:45pm

The owner of a Tysons gym is gaining traction with an online petition asking that some restrictions get lifted for small gyms and fitness centers in Northern Virginia.

As Virginia readies to start its first reopening phase tomorrow (Friday), Gov. Ralph Northam has ordered that Northern Virginia maintain current COVID-19 restrictions until after Memorial Day.

Fairfax County has had the highest reported number of COVID-19 cases and deaths in the state, and top officials in Northern Virginia have been pushing for more time to reduce the risk of spreading the virus.

But Tucker Jones, who WJLA reported is the owner of CrossFit gyms in Tysons and Arlington, thinks that the soon-approaching rollback of business restrictions in the rest of the state should also apply to small gyms in Northern Virginia.

“We strongly feel that we can continue to provide access to health and wellness through fitness in a way that keeps everyone safe,” the petition says.

Jones started the online petition three days ago and, at the time of this article, it has gathered more than 2,000 signatures.

The petition says that small class gyms that are about 3,000-8,000-square feet with a maximum capacity of 25-75 people can take the following safety steps:

capping class sizes at 10 people
daily deep cleaning
disinfecting equipment before and after every use
starting contactless check-in
switching to reservation-only
taking away access to showers and water fountains
requiring employees and asking clients to wear masks

“We believe we can begin to provide our services to members following very strict guidelines of social distancing and extreme cleanliness just as other businesses are providing as they reopen,” the petition says.

Jones told WJLA he had to cancel his plans to offer outdoor fitness classes after Northam announced earlier this week the reopening delay for Northern Virginia.

Currently, CrossFit in Tysons has turned to online fitness classes, a nutrition challenge on social media and equipment rentals to keep the business going while the gyms are temporarily closed.

Photo via CrossFit Tysons Corner/Facebook