In addition to a new look inside the McCreary Community Center in Perry, there are now several guidelines to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

Thursday was the first day members were allowed to use the facility since March. Perry Deputy Parks and Recreation Director Becky Halling says that COVID-19 guidelines inside the center are a lot like what other facilities have implemented, “We’ll have some guidelines in place to keep everybody safe. We highly recommend that patrons wear masks. Obviously, when they’re working out or using the pool, not (needed), we don’t want anyone to have any health issues. If you’re moving throughout the building, please wear a mask if you’re able to. We’ll have some occupancy levels as far as in our gyms and our pool to keep our patrons and community members safe.”

Halling adds they’re still working on the best way to introduce fitness programs that are more COVID-19 friendly. One of the few bright spots of the COVID-19 pandemic is since the building was closed to the public, construction crews were given full access to the building and didn’t have to work around patrons. Because of that, the McCreary Center was able to reopen more than a month ahead of schedule.