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Protesters call for fitness centers to reopen in Sun City

Residents believe community meets standards

Posted 8/14/20

Sun City residents Rick Schwanz and Leonard Bohannan are on a crusade to get Recreation Centers of Sun City fitness centers reopened.

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Protesters call for fitness centers to reopen in Sun City

Residents believe community meets standards

Posted

Sun City residents Rick Schwanz and Leonard Bohannan are on a crusade to get Recreation Centers of Sun City fitness centers reopened.

The pair, who regularly worked out at the Bell Center fitness area, 16820 N. 99th Ave., believe Sun City already meets benchmarks established by Arizona Department of Health Services standards to reopen specified businesses ordered closed by Gov. Doug Ducey.

ADHS' requirements for gyms and fitness centers to reopen in Maricopa County is there must be fewer than 100 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people, less than 10% test positive for the virus, and hospital visits because of COVID-like illnesses is below 10%.

Maricopa County, as of Aug. 12, already met the first benchmark with a 5.3% hospitalization rate. There were 117 cases per 100,000, representing 11.2% for positivity.

But Mr. Schwanz and Mr. Bohannan believe because RCSC facilities are isolated, they should be judged only on Sun City’s numbers.

“Sun City is a gated community without the gate,” Mr. Schwanz said. “You have to be a cardholder to use the facilities, and with the COVID-19 restrictions in place, guests are not allowed.”

He added that, according to his calculations he based on Sun City’s population and the ADHS Aug. 13 case count, Sun City is well below the cases per 100,000 and the positivity rate. Mr. Schwanz calculated a 1.4% positivity rate using a population of about 29,000 and the 427 case count for ZIP code 85351.

“The governor needs to assess this on a case-by-case basis,” Mr. Schwanz said.

Mr. Bohannan said all recommended precautions were taken in RCSC fitness centers when they were reopened for seven weeks.

“When we went in, we washed our hands, wiped down the machines before and after use, had masks on and practiced social distancing,” he said. “Every other machine was taped off so it couldn’t be used.”

Despite the precautions, the fitness centers were closed again with the governor’s executive order to close again specific businesses, including gyms and fitness centers.

“We know RCSC is just following the orders of the governor, but we don’t know if they tried to make the argument for Sun City to be judged as an isolated community,” Mr. Bohannan said. “We understand this is a health issue, and we want to comply. We just don’t think Sun City should fit under the statewide blanket standards.”

It is RCSC management’s view that the governor’s executive orders apply to RCSC fitness centers and do not provide exceptions, accordng to Joelyn Higgins, RCSC communications and marketing coordinator.

“The court challenges by other fitness center operators have not been successful and enforcement against operators defying the executive orders has occurred,” she stated in an email. “RCSC management does not see a court battle resulting in a positive outcome for RCSC, particularly in light of 75% of RCSC cardholders falling into the vulnerable individual category.”

The pair plan to continue their protest. They will be at Lakeview Center, 10626 W. Thunderbird Blvd., for the first few days of next week, beginning Monday, Aug. 17.