Fitness centers closing across Las Vegas Valley

The YMCA of Southern Nevada shut down programs and activities at all four of its Las Vegas facilities effective Monday. According to a notice on its website, while there has been “no confirmed exposure of COVID-19 in our branches,” the YMCA will “take this time to do a deep cleaning of all facilities.”

Among the programs and classes canceled at the branches are preschool, kids’ gym, group exercise classes, youth sports and swim lessons. According to the notice, the YMCA “will re-evaluate the situation and will keep all members, staff, program participants and volunteers up to date on the status of these programs.”

On Monday afternoon, Life Time Fitness sent an email to members announcing what it called a “temporary closure” that would begin at 8 p.m. The length of the closure is to be “dependent upon governmental guidance.”

Title Boxing Club Henderson, citing “recent developments,” told members in a posting that “we have made the difficult decision to close the gym. We will be evaluating weekly and post updates as soon as possible.”

Gymcats, a children’s gymnastic training facility in Henderson, announced on its website that it will be closed “until further notice.”

“We want to make sure we help stop the spread of this disease, and extreme actions should be taken by all businesses,” the notice added. “We are as disappointed as you are that we need to close until further notice.”

TruFusion Summerlin announced its temporary closing late Monday afternoon. In a note to members, the company wrote: “We know this is a stressful time for everyone — but we know we will overcome. Please stay safe and healthy.”

Orangetheory Fitness closed its corporate-owned studios after each studio’s last class Monday. The company told members in a notice that, while it has taken “significant precautions … to keep our members and employees safe,” temporarily closing is “the right thing to do. Our goal is to reopen March 31, 2020.”

On Monday evening, EoS Fitness announced the closure of its gyms from noon Tuesday until at least March 31. By Tuesday morning, 24 Hour Fitness had announced the closure of its clubs indefinitely.

Lauren Montz, owner of Pure Barre fitness studios in Summerlin and Henderson, said Tuesday that both are closed at least through Sunday. She added that the situation will be reassessed then and, in the meantime, the studio is hosting live streaming classes for members.

However, a few fitness centers and gyms remained open as of Tuesday. Some, via website notices, social media postings or emails to clients, offered information about what they are doing to ensure clients’ health and safety.

Todd Smith, chairman and CEO of Las Vegas Athletic Clubs, wrote in a letter posted on the company’s website that, starting Tuesday, group fitness classes and Play Room capacity both would be cut by half.

“We are working hard to keep our clubs open as we believe that keeping our members healthy is imperative during this time,” Smith wrote. “Please know that we are committed to monitoring the situation, communicating openly with you, and doing anything we can to help our members and community stay safe.”

In its statement, Planet Fitness said it has “extensive cleanliness policies and procedures in place” and employees “conduct regular and thorough cleaning of all equipment, surfaces, and areas of the club and gym floor using disinfectant cleaning supplies. In addition, they regularly complete overnight cleaning of the club.”

The closure of area YMCAs took Jim DePorche of North Las Vegas by surprise. DePorche, 69, said he stops by the Centennial YMCA five days a week to swim. Now, lacking the use of its pool, he’ll double up daily workouts at a local health club.

Personal trainer Dreu Johnson works with high-level athletes, most of them basketball players, ages 7 to some in their 40s, usually at the Heinrich YMCA on Meadows Lane. With the facility’s closure, he plans to have clients work out in parks and other alternate venues. He also plans to have clients step up workouts they do at home.

Johnson said clients primarily are concerned with not falling back during the hiatus. “I think the panic of the shutdown is bigger than the panic of actually getting sick.”

Even with the closures, three YMCA of Southern Nevada branches will continue to serve as Three Square Open Meal sites beginning Tuesday. People ages 18 and under, whether YMCA members or not, are welcome to a free meal.

The sites will be open Monday through Saturday from 4 to 6 p.m. at Bill & Lillie Heinrich YMCA, 4141 Meadows Lane; Durango Hills YMCA, 3521 N. Durango Drive; and Sky View YMCA, 3050 E. Centennial Parkway, North Las Vegas.

And while members won’t be able to work out at the YMCA, the organization is offering access to online resources during the closure. These include at-home workouts and children’s educational resources, and can be accessed via lasvegasymca.org/covid-19-updates/.

Contact John Przybys at jprzybys@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0280. Follow @JJPrzybys on Twitter.