By Benyamin Davidsons
On Monday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio were at it again, seemingly gearing up for their next political clash, as they made conflicting statements concerning reopening New York City’s gyms.
As reported by the NY Post, Gov. Cuomo made a statement that fitness centers across the state can open back up “as soon as” next Monday, as long as they adhere to coronavirus-related restrictions and are approved via inspections by local governments. He noted that de Blasio could postpone re-openings in the city, but only until September 2. “Are gyms any tougher than, you know, bowling alleys or restaurants?” Cuomo said, mentioning other businesses that have been allowed to reopen with restrictions. “I don’t really think so.”
City Hall, however, seemed to give a totally different story, hinting that city residents may need to wait longer before hitting the gym. “There’s no higher priority than making sure our schools and child care centers are safe for learning in the fall, and the City’s dedicated team of inspectors will continue prioritizing that work,” de Blasio spokesman Mitch Schwartz said in an email. The statement hinted that city health inspectors already have their hands full. Schwartz would not to provide a timetable for when gyms would be re-opened, rather noting that the city already opted out of allowing indoor fitness classes and reopening indoor pools “at this time.” “We’ll be developing a fair and rigorous inspection system for other gym setups in the coming weeks,” he added.
State Sen. Diane Savino (D-Staten Island, Brooklyn) voiced her disapproval. “At what point do the businesses just say they’re gonna hang up the towel?” she said. “They’re getting conflicting information from the city and the state. That’s what’s driving businesses crazy.” Savino also took a stab at the regulations imposed on gyms re-openings, wondering how they would manage to limiting attendance to one-third of capacity, accusing accused Cuomo of “looking it at as a way to raise revenue.” “Give them clear-cut guidelines and don’t lay in wait hoping they violate them. They need clear consistent guidelines and don’t just sit back and say, ‘I hope they #@# it up.’”
Gyms across the board made statements urging the Mayor to speed up the reopening process.
