Gyms And Fitness Centers To Reopen Monday As Part of Phase 3

BOSTON, MA — Gyms can reopen starting Monday as Massachusetts enters phase three, Gov. Charlie Baker announced at his news conference Thursday. For Boston, however, phase three will begin on Monday, July 13.

When gym doors open, a few things will be different.

Gyms will be required to keep occupancy below 40 percent capacity and sanitize equipment after use. All customers will have to be masked.

Fitness centers and gyms have been closed since March, when Baker mandated they shut down temporarily. Gym members and owners have been frustrated by the closures — a Somerville gym owner sued Baker this week, stating that gym closures are a violation of fifth and fourteenth amendment rights.

Other gyms created virtual classes in an attempt to sustain memberships, or asked members to continue paying if they could in order to support trainers and staff who found themselves out of work.