Outdoor fitness classes resume in Ottawa as province enters Step One
Outdoor fitness classes are open across Ottawa as the capital moves into Step 1 of the COVID-19 reopening plan.
After months in lockdown and with the first day of summer a week away, people now have the option of enjoying some company while they work out or take a fitness class.
At the Rideau Sports Centre, CEO Nicki Bridgland says they took advantage of the time they were closed to create new spaces for outdoor activities and classes.
Bridgland wanted to be ready no matter what the provincial reopening looked like.
"It's been so challenging, it's been exhausting to exhilarating," Bridgland said. "We created this new outdoor fitness yoga studio and gym with 43 classes a week and the ability to book a personal trainer one-on-one."
Yoga instructor Anna Schulze is thrilled to be back at the head of the class, helping her students improve their skills and reduce the stress in their lives. All outdoor classes are capped at 10 people, but she sees this as the first step to getting back to normal.
"It’s so amazing to see the reaction after class. They are calm and love the fact that we are outdoors," Schilze said. "I think a lot of times people don’t come to practice in the summertime because they want to be outside, now they can do both."
Bridgland says the investment in the new facility was worth it.
"Watching peoples faces light up the tears in their eyes when they come back on the property and they see each other and there is that sense of connection with others." Bridgland said. "In the end it’s about health and wellness, but it’s also about human connection and bringing people together."
Indoor fitness centres remain closed under Step 1 of Ontario's reopening plan.
Along with outdoor fitness, here is a list of what you can do under Step One of the provincial reopening plan in Ontario.
- Outdoor dining with up to four people per table, with exceptions for larger households
- Non-essential retail permitted at 15 per cent capacity, with no restrictions on the goods that can be sold
- Essential and other select retail permitted at 25 per cent capacity, with no restrictions on the goods that can be sold
- Outdoor religious services, rites, or ceremonies, including wedding services and funeral services, capped at the number of people that can maintain a physical distance of two metres
- Outdoor fitness classes, outdoor groups in personal training and outdoor individual/team sport training to be permitted with up to 10 people
- Movie theatre drive-ins are permitted to open
- Day camps for children permitted to operate
- Overnight camping at campgrounds and campsites are allowed to open, including Ontario Parks, and short-term rentals
- Outdoor horse racing tracks and motor speedways permitted to operate without spectators
- Outdoor attractions such as zoos, landmarks and historic sites may open with capacity and other restrictions
- Retail stores in malls must remain closed unless the stores have a street-facing entrance.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Leafs star Auston Matthews finishes season with 69 goals
Auston Matthews won't be joining the NHL's 70-goal club this season.
Trump lawyers say Stormy Daniels refused subpoena outside a Brooklyn bar, papers left 'at her feet'
Donald Trump's legal team says it tried serving Stormy Daniels a subpoena as she arrived for an event at a bar in Brooklyn last month, but the porn actor, who is expected to be a witness at the former president's criminal trial, refused to take it and walked away.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Doug Ford calls on Ontario Speaker to reverse Queen's Park keffiyeh ban
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling on Speaker Ted Arnott to reverse a ban on keffiyehs at Queen's Park, describing the move as “needlessly” divisive.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.