Since the Boise State Rec Center reopened its doors on Aug. 3, it has undergone changes to its health and safety practices. After reopening, employees and patrons alike have experienced the effects of the protocols put in place.
Brittney Souter, sophomore elementary education major, works as an equipment desk attendant and feels that the changes are tedious but important.
Regarding changes to her job, she said that there has been an increase in cleaning and disinfecting. She also has an extra responsibility of keeping the towels and spray bottles restocked.
The bottles and towels Souter works with are individual disinfectant spray bottles given to patrons upon arrival, and towels that patrons are required to have with them while working out.
Employees now have specific areas to sanitize at the beginning and end of their shift, which helps limit contact between shift changes.
“I do [feel safe]. When we first got back to school, we had a big long training session about our responsibilities and how to keep us and our patrons safe, and they’re constantly reminding us to use sanitizer and wash our hands. So I feel pretty safe,” Souter said.
Senior business administration major Anthony Faris is happy to have the Rec Center open again.
“It’s pretty much the same for me. I’m going to get my work in regardless of the protocols or not,” Faris said. “You got to wear a mask if you want the gym to be open. I don’t see it as a problem, but it is what it is. I really like how they have all the hand sanitizers and all the sprays. They want it to stay open.”
Before the Rec reopened, a new facility attendant position was added. The attendants’ job is to periodically disinfect each piece of equipment, as well as making sure that patrons are properly wearing their masks and cleaning their equipment.
“Before the pandemic, we had people going around cleaning, but they just kind of changed it up so that facility attendants are out here [cleaning] and talking to people,” said Genna Williams, a senior who is studying kinesiology and a facility attendant at the Rec.
Even though a large portion of Williams’ job is to make sure that Rec guests are following the guidelines, she has not had a problem with patrons disregarding rules or needing to be reminded repeatedly.
“There’s been a couple times where I have had to repeatedly tell people [to wear masks], but for the most part, it’s been pretty good. And I think as time has gone on, they realize we’re going to tell them to keep their masks on, so they make sure it is,” Williams said. “I feel very safe. I feel like everything is very clean. It’s going to be like this for awhile, so I feel like I have adjusted.”
