Dods Hall gymnasium, Blue Devil Fitness Center, tennis courts now slated for reopening for student use later in September

The opening of the Fitness Center, Dods Gym and other athletic venues scheduled for Sept. 7 is being delayed until at least Sept. 21. The opening delay is essential to support campus efforts in reducing the spread of COVID-19. 

As soon as numbers of cases begin to “plateau or decrease” the fitness center and other athletic venues will be prepared to open, in accordance with the guidelines established by New York State for gyms and fitness facilities.

The gym and fitness center will both be equipped with MERV13 filters for the ventilation system, which are required for reopening. The facilities will be open for student use only Monday through Friday, from 8 am. to 7 p.m., and Sunday, from 4 to 7 p.m.

Students will sign up using an online system for blocks of time in the Fitness Center or Dods gym.

Time slots will be in one-hour increments, with the last 20 minutes of each hour reserved for cleaning and preparing for the next student.

Other things to know: 

• Students will undergo mandatory temperature checks and a six-question health screening as part of the admission process. They will need to provide full name, address and phone number, as required for contact tracing.
• Students must maintain social distancing when possible and wear a mask at all times. 
• Acceptable face coverings include, but are not limited to, cloth-based face coverings and disposable masks appropriate for exercise that cover both the mouth and nose. 
• Bandanas, buffs, and gaiters are not acceptable face coverings for use in gyms and fitness centers.
• Students may register for one time slot per day. 
• There will be no lockers available for use. 
• The drinking fountains will be disabled, as the guidance suggests only refill stations (bottle fillers) be utilized.
• Failure to show up for a registered block three times during the semester will result in a loss of the student’s ability to preregister.

In terms of occupancy, Dods gym will have the center divider in place, and no more than 15 people will be allowed per side. For the Blue Devil Fitness Center, no more than 25 people will be allowed to reserve space at a time. 

Also, just like the Blue Devil Fitness Center, the Blue Devil Tennis Courts will be open later in September. Like Fredonia's peers across SUNY, access to the tennis courts is limited to students only. The courts will be available Monday through Friday, from 1 to 6:30 p.m. Students must obtain a key from the Fitness Center desk to access the courts.