As of Saturday, October 17, the operations of swimming pools, water parks and gyms are being suspended. After being closed for more than three months in the spring, sports facilities had barely recovered before suspending operations again after just a few months due to a government decision.
“We were gradually getting back into things, and now they are shutting us down again. All we can do is get angry,” comments Robert Tomczyk, president of Orka. “We don’t know what to do. We are talking about gyms, but what am I supposed to do with the swimming pool? Drain the water? For how long? A week, two weeks, a month, or three months again? If they told us something specific, we would know what to do,” says the manager of Bolesławiec’s water park.
What about the employees at Orka and the thermal baths?
The closure of swimming pools and gyms is primarily a problem for the people employed there.
“We have been left to fend for ourselves and don’t know what we are supposed to do,” says Robert Tomczyk. “Since Monday, I have been sending people on leave. It’s good that they agreed. I have a great team that is understanding and knows what the situation is. I am very grateful to the team. They help as much as they can, and that is very important,” the president adds.
Zbigniew Kowalczyk from Bolesławiec’s thermal baths is facing the same problem.
“It is difficult. Unfortunately, the restrictions introduced require us to close the facility. The worst part is that we don’t know how long this will last,” says the manager of the thermal baths. “Uncertainty about how we will operate in the future is growing. As for the employees, we will use them at other facilities, but we are giving up the services of external companies. Unfortunately, we will not employ all the workers hired under civil-law contracts either. One person will remain at the thermal baths to keep things in order, and the technicians will remain because we do not know how long the closure will last, so we are not turning off the machines at the pool,” the director adds.
Whoever the government picks, that is whose business gets shut down
The situation surrounding the closure of gyms and swimming pools looks as if the government were playing Wheel of Fortune with citizens. To reassure people and show that it is taking some action, it randomly shuts down one industry.
Damian Śliwiński, owner of Fit Style Zone in Bolesławiec, raises several questions concerning Saturday’s order to close gyms and emphasizes that during the second lockdown, the government is not currently promising any assistance.
“Trainers and instructors are the most important; they are why clients come,” explains Damian Śliwiński. “Our goal is to retain 30 people. The prime minister says there will be assistance for industries that have been particularly affected, but we know nothing more. The most important things for us are health, promoting physical activity and healthy eating. These are the main goals of our operations. Our task is to help people build physical and mental health,” the business owner adds.
“Yesterday we were informed that we cannot open the facility from Saturday. But under what rules? And for how long?” asks the entrepreneur. “We have financial obligations, and everyone should understand that. We physically need clients to survive. Hence my question: to what extent are these gyms supposed to be closed? Does this concern gyms, or also fitness clubs, exercise rooms and dance studios? Or will classes for children survive? After all, classes for children are being held in schools. We do not know whether we can conduct classes with children or individual sessions,” Damian Śliwiński has more and more questions.
The head of Fit Style Zone plans to travel to Warsaw for Saturday’s rally organized by industry associations, “Stop the closure of sports facilities!”, but fears it will be difficult to achieve success. He would like to speak with someone who has influence over government decisions. However, he believes there will be no one there to talk to. “Despite that, I will support this initiative because it is justified. Ten thousand people signed the petition on this matter within half an hour; we are waiting to see how many signatures there will be in the end. We want to work with people on their health and immunity during this particularly difficult time for everyone, of course adapting one hundred percent to the sanitary regime, as we have done so far,” Śliwiński adds.
The petition can be signed at the link: STOP the closure of sports facilities!
“Close the churches, you clown!”
The owners of sports and recreational facilities question the need to close their facilities when cinemas, theaters, restaurants and places of religious worship remain open, albeit with stricter restrictions. They consider this unequal treatment.
A comment by writer Jakub Żulczyk, who wrote on Facebook: “Close the churches, you clown, where superspreading [superroznoszenie, mocne zarażanie – przyp. red.] is in full swing among seniors, not gyms and swimming pools,”
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