GILLETTE, Wyo. (AP) - Until Wednesday morning, Tyler Neary hadn’t shot a basketball in over a month. He was finally back on the court when the Campbell County Recreation Center reopened at 5 a.m. following an extended closure because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A redshirt freshman for the Gillette College men’s basketball team this past season, Tyler and his brother Jefferson Neary, a senior sharpshooter for Campbell County High School, were among several people to wake up before the sun rose to begin using the Rec Center facilities as soon as they could.
Patrons were spread throughout the building and in open areas Wednesday morning, the Gillette News Record reports.
Tyler Neary said being away from the basketball court was without a question the longest stint of his life and it was a relief to get back.
“It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen, unlike anything I’ve ever felt,” he said about the coronavirus and its effect on how people live their everyday lives. “We’ve been lifting and working out, but we haven’t been able to shoot. So, just getting back here and getting the feel of the basketball and start playing again feels great.”
Just outside the basketball court area, Brittany Clawson, Angie Laakso and Kristin Nuzum had spread out mats in what they called “our spot” for their workout. But before they got to to that, they were stretching and catching up.
Normally, the three meet at the Rec Center every day shortly after it opens. They’ve been doing their best to workout at home while the facility was closed for nearly two months, but admitted it was “different.”
“First day open, we had to get back and get to our real workout and routine,” Clawson said. “We’re all structured people. We love our routines and we love our little group. We just missed that dynamic and starting your day off with a good workout.”
By that time, Dustyn Walton was already done with his lifting session and was on his way home. He said even though his body wasn’t ready for a full workout, “it was good to be back.”
He also noticed a couple of changes at the center right away. He said he saw how social distancing is being enforced at the check-in and check-out desks, along with the staff standing by with disinfectant to clean workout surfaces.
Most of the people he saw did a good job of wiping down equipment when they were done. But when they didn’t, Walton said there always was a staff member who came behind them and cleaned it.
Many changes accompanied the re-opening of the Rec Center. About 35 employees working about four-hour shifts have been moved from others area of the Rec Center that aren’t open yet, like the Aquatic Center and climbing wall, to maintain the facility and its new health requirements. That includes some cleaning equipment and others monitoring for social distancing.
Many pieces of equipment also have been removed from the weightlifting and cardio areas. The aquatics area and climbing wall are among a few of the closures that have remained in place.
The basketball and racquetball courts have been limited to one person or one family each at a time. The Neary brothers could have shot at the same basket, even though they chose separate ones since they were the only ones playing that early.
Recreation Superintendent Adam Gibson said the center is going above and beyond what Gov. Mark Gordon has ordered for social distancing.
The group of Clawson, Laakso and Nuzum, which Clawson called the “accountability crew,” said the restrictions are doable. Some were a bit surprising, though, and Nuzum said she wasn’t expecting staff to be monitoring and actually enforcing social distancing.
Troy Nellermoe, a teacher at Campbell County High School, said he’ll happily deal with whatever inconveniences might come from the health measures if it means keeping the Rec Center open.
“I’ll follow all the rules or whatever program they have. This actually might be nicer, because you can get your own piece of equipment for a bit,” he said. “They could’ve put the equipment outside and on a rainy day and I’d still come and use it.”
Before the closure, Nellermoe had gotten into a routine of waking up at 4:30 a.m. every day and going to the Rec Center. But that routine has broken down and he said he “even slept in ’til 8:30 a.m.” one day, which he hadn’t done since college.
Working out also has been a challenge. Nellermoe, who graduated from CCHS in 2003, has been flipping tires and also brought out an old barbell his dad made years ago. He also found some plates to put on it.
“I’ve had to get pretty creative the last couple months,” Nellermoe said.
The effect of not having a place like the Rec Center to escape to made it apparent how important the facility is for the community, Nellermoe said.
A close vote
Reopening the Rec Center on Wednesday wasn’t a sure thing. It required the OK from the Campbell County Commission, which met Tuesday. The decision came on a close 3-2 vote, with Commissioners Del Shelstad and Bob Maul voting against it reopening the facility.
Shelstad said he has a hard time opening the Rec Center when outdoor recreation such as rodeo, stock car racing and motocross still have their facilities closed. There will be a lot more than 10 people in the Rec Center, he said.
“It’s a double standard,” Shelstad said.
He said he would be in favor of opening the Rec Center only when those other facilities are allowed to open.
Commissioner Rusty Bell pointed out that the county and Parks and Recreation Department are following Gov. Mark Gordon’s order allowing for gyms to be open. It didn’t say anything about things such as rodeos and motocross.
The county also made sure that all the private gyms were going to be open before it opened the Rec Center, Bell said.
If people associated with rodeo, stock car racing and motocross want to meet with Campbell County Public Health Department to discuss reopening plans and variances, they’re free to do so, said Commission Chairman D.G. Reardon.
“We’re trying to open things up in stages,” Reardon said.
Bell said he wishes those activities were open, but he doesn’t want to punish one group of people just because another group can’t do its activities.
Commissioner Colleen Faber said that if everything goes smoothly with the Rec Center opening up, it will be easier for the state to say other things can open as well, and it also gives other groups an idea of how to put together a reopening plan.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.