YWCA Minneapolis to Reopen June 22

Phased reopening approach includes enhanced cleaning protocols and employee health screeningsJune 15, 2020 — YWCA Minneapolis announced the reopening of its three fitness facilities (Downtown, Midtown and Uptown locations) and some in-person Girls and Youth and Racial Justice programs effective June 22.Following guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and MN Department of Health, YWCA Minneapolis has implemented a comprehensive pandemic protocol and safety protocols to prevent the spread of the coronavirus that include social distancing, electrostatic spraying, enhanced cleaning, health screenings and personal protective equipment for employees and wearing masks for all visitors.“We look forward to reopening our physical locations and have gone to great lengths to provide a safe environment through a slow and phased reopening approach,” said YWCA Minneapolis President and CEO, Michelle Basham. “Fitness members, families and program participants are the backbone of our organization. We thank them all for their support during this difficult time and look forward to welcoming them back.”Here are the new protocols for the facilities, members, visitors and employees:

Fitness Facility and Child Care Center Protocols:

• Monitor fitness areas and ensure all equipment is cleaned and disinfected regularly
• Hand sanitizer, hand soap, disinfectant wipes or spray and towels available to members
• Each fitness area will have a sanitized station with cleaned handheld equipment
• High-traffic areas and equipment will be sanitized every 90 minutes
• Capacity limits have been determined for each fitness area and studio to meet social distancing guidelines
• Daily temperature checks and symptom screening for children, and 10 or fewer children in group activities
• High-touch children’s areas and commonly used furniture and toys sanitized regularly

Member/Visitor Protocols:

• Pre-register for 90-minute facility usage intervals via the YWCA website
• Required to disinfect hands with hand sanitizer upon entering the facility
• Follow directional signage and social distancing policy to maintain six feet distance from others
• Fitness members and visitors are required to wear a face mask/covering when in our facilities

Employee Protocols:

• Participation in regular health screenings and daily temperature checks
• Mandatory training sessions on new safety protocols
• Customer-facing employees will be required to wear masks on-site
• Personal trainers will follow six feet social distancing guidelines with no physical contact during training sessions
• Staggered and reduced employee presence on site, team meetings of no more than 10 people, six feet apart social distancing guidelines
• Employees who can work from home are required to continue working remotely

Any fitness area that cannot accommodate for social distancing guidelines will be closed, including locker rooms, pools, pool decks, saunas, whirl and steam rooms and Kids Zone. Additionally, on-site classes and group activities including, but not limited to, group exercise, aquatics, sports leagues, rentals and some on-on-one services are not offered during this first phase of reopening.Distance programming will be the focus of Girls and Youth efforts and onsite events will only occur as approved by community partners, including Minneapolis Public Schools. Racial Justice and Public Policy workshops, events and Inc.lude™ consulting will be conducted virtually whenever possible and onsite events restricted to 10 or less participants.The Early Childhood Education Center downtown location reopened June 8 and joins our Abbott Northwestern Hospital, Ecolab and YWCA Midtown locations which have remained open to serve the children of essential workers during this crisis. Each center is now serving all families.

About YWCA Minneapolis

YWCA Minneapolis is a nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. For 129 years, we have worked to create opportunities to overcome social injustice, particularly in matters of race and gender. Last year, YWCA Minneapolis served more than 30,000 people in our community through high-quality, programs and advocacy focused on racial justice, early learning, youth development and wellness.###

Media Contact:

Cori MattliYWCA Minneapolis(cell) 612-460-1125