Businesses of all types have faced unprecedented uncertainty and have been hit incredibly hard since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. And while we hear a lot about the restaurant and entertainment sectors, the fitness industry has been devastated by the economic impact of the virus. Thousands of small and mid-sized fitness facilities might never be able to recover from the revenue and members lost due to mandatory closures, class size limits and other restrictions.
This is concerning. These gyms play a vital role in stimulating local economies while also keeping our communities healthy — physically and mentally.
For months, gyms across the country were forced to shut their doors and were given little-to-no hope of reopening fully and recovering from the mandatory shutdowns. I own Diablo CrossFit in Pleasant Hill and had to shut down for four months with very limited outdoor classes for two months. Even worse, we have been ordered to shut down again since Gov. Gavin Newsom pulled an “emergency brake” and mandated closures in almost all California counties.
To this day, many fitness facilities like mine are still struggling to stay afloat, and according to Yelp, more than 6,000 fitness facilities are already closed, including 57% temporary closures and 43% permanent closures.
With no immediate end to the COVID-19 pandemic in sight, and with another wave of cases projected to hit this winter, these numbers are alarming and they are precisely why it’s time for Congress to step in and provide gyms with relief. Without government help, a quarter of America’s gyms — many of which are locally owned small businesses — will go bankrupt and permanently close their doors.
In order to address this issue and ensure that local gyms survive, the Community Gyms Coalition has launched a campaign to urge leaders in Washington to provide gyms like mine with much-needed relief. Gyms have been one of the hardest-hit industries by government actions to stop the pandemic, and with higher closure rates than either restaurants or bars, relieving the fitness industry should be one of the top priorities for Congress during the COVID-19 relief negotiations.
While many gym owners were fortunate to receive help earlier this year through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), that simply was not enough given its burdensome restrictions and the length of mandated closures. Only 40% of the funds could be used to pay rent, gyms could not pay trainers who are independent contractors, and gyms could not use the funds to buy equipment necessary for conducting virtual workouts for their members. Granting additional funds that can be used for essential expenditures is key to saving the fitness industry while also keeping folks in our local communities safe and healthy.
Fitness is essential, and providing the fitness industry with direct relief allows gyms to continue playing their part in keeping Americans healthy and maintaining a strong immune system, which is crucial to fighting off COVID-19 and other infectious diseases like the flu, pneumonia, heart disease and diabetes. Research has shown that exercising helps folks stay healthy, and during a national crisis like we are facing today, there has never been a more important time to get healthy and stay healthy.
Community gyms nationwide are ready to keep Americans in good health during this epidemic and after it. That’s why we are calling on Congress and our leaders in California to provide thousands of small, local gyms across the country with relief so they do not go out of business. Together, we can continue to help our communities recover and improve the health of millions of Americans. It’s a win-win.
Craig Howard is the owner of Diablo CrossFit in Pleasant Hill, and a member of the Community Gyms Coalition Advisory Board.
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December 09, 2020 at 07:00PM
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Congress must provide direct relief for fitness industry - San Francisco Chronicle
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