Photo courtesy of Hongyu Liu
While many gyms temporarily closed down at the onset of the pandemic in 2020, they incorporated many innovations to continue serving their communities during the past year. Spaces like the Wang YMCA and Downtown Crossing’s Planet Fitness are no exception. Although many Chinatown residents may have been reluctant to leave their houses during this time, representatives from these gyms acknowledge that physical wellness leads to mental health and that workout facilities can foster social interaction.
“Getting what people need for their health has been a challenge of the pandemic,” said Wang YMCA director Dave Morrone. “Being bottled up in your house or not being able to get a workout or swim [have also been challenges]. With group exercise classes, especially, part of that is the exercise, but part of that is the people you’re with and camaraderie you have; you’re all working out together and wanting to hang out and talk afterward. A lot of that was pretty hard hit [by Covid].”
Shortly after the State shutdown, the Wang began offering special services to the community, including emergency childcare and becoming a food distribution site. The space would allow first responders to drop their children off, and children would stay, socially distanced, in a classroom, where they could virtually attend school. The basketball gym was repurposed to be a learning center, with as many as 15 to 20 kids seated at desks with computers. As a food distribution site, the Wang sought to address food scarcity, handing out hundreds of meals a day.
“We didn’t have people coming in the building, so the lobby became this unofficial food center, where we had to get extra fridges,” said Morrone. “We took out all the tables and chairs and put in these refrigerators, boxes of food, shelves, and storage. Outside, we put up a pop-up tent because we didn’t want people coming into the building. At that point in the pandemic, we weren’t sure about anything. We just knew people couldn’t be close. We carted the food out and set up tables. I had four staff at any one time dedicated to it, handing out meals. The line was incredible, which demonstrated to us the need. The line went from the middle of Oak Street sidewalk to the T station, up Tremont Street, and on some days got all the way past Tufts Garage and almost past Wang Theater.”
Lisa Ventura, the Wang’s Healthy Living director, said that during the pandemic, the center created virtual programs for clients. The population that the Wang primarily serves is composed of Asian elderly. Many of these individuals faced barriers when it comes to technology use and language.
“Our Asian community that we serve, the majority of it is older, elderly people,” said Ventura. “Personally, I know that when they came to these classes [before], it wasn’t just about the exercise; it was about the social connection part of it. We had to become strategic on how we were going to be able to outreach to them, because they were older, and they were part of that population that was more at risk. When we would call to check on them, they would go, ‘No, I’m not going.’” She added, “Our staff is very willing and patient enough. When we first reopened, we made sure our signs were in Chinese. But a lot of the time, we couldn’t tell them, ‘You have to be six feet apart. And that was hard, so we would point at the signs and make sure that they were translated correctly…”
For Planet Fitness, at Downtown Crossing, the gym closed in March 2020 and reopened in July. While the place was closed, they offered members free workouts on Facebook so that stressed clients could access the mental and physical benefits of exercise from home. They occasionally had Boston-based celebrities lead workouts. Becky Zirlen, Planet Fitness’ director of public relations, said that many people were nervous about going back to the gym when they reopened in Massachusetts. In response, the chain ensured that they had in place safety protocols, including having some equipment out of order to warrant social distancing. Extra hand sanitizer was made available, and members were encouraged to wash their hands. Still, business resumed with a slow start.
Zirlen attested to the importance of regular exercise in leading a healthy life, maintaining that going to a gym can contribute to a well-rounded routine. For people who have been isolated during the pandemic, working out has many benefits.
“One of the best ways you can stay healthy is to stay active,” said Zirlen. “If you’re active, it helps prevent obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. Obviously it is physically important, but there are such huge mental health benefits, and the pandemic has taken a toll on all of us mentally and physically. Working out boosts endorphins and makes you feel good, creating a routine.” She added, “Having a community and having a place to go where maybe you meet your friends everyday at 9:00 or 10:00 in the morning, where you walk together on a treadmill, it creates that social aspect. But you’re also building immunity, boosting your mood, and getting those positive results of exercise. There’s no replacement for working out in a gym with a community where you can meet friends, have friendly staff, and have that support system.”
