LOS ANGELES – A judge Thursday issued a preliminary injunction directing the owner of Planet Fitness gyms in Lancaster and Palmdale to cease holding indoor operations as a way of limiting the spread of the coronavirus.
The fitness centers are owned by Wingman Partners LLC and Matthew Jones. Lawyers for Los Angeles County sued on Dec. 16 and obtained a temporary restraining order on Dec. 17 that was set to expire Thursday. The ban on indoor gym operations was put in place by the county Department of Public Health.
“These restrictions on indoor operations at fitness facilities have the objective of preventing the airborne transmission of COVID-19 and to protect the public health and public safety from a contagious disease,” Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mary H. Strobel wrote.
Both gyms were warned in December that they could face legal action if they did not comply with written demands to cease indoor operations, according to court papers submitted by the County Counsel’s Office.
In a sworn declaration, Jones said the Planet Fitness gyms in Lancaster and Palmdale together employ more than 50 workers and have 1,200 to 1,800 daily patrons.
“The size of the Lancaster and Palmdale facilities are as large as, or larger than, many other indoor facilities which are allowed to remain open under the county’s order,” according to Jones.
The two gyms are prohibited from operating outdoors by the Planet Fitness franchisor and exterior exercising would be impractical anyway because of blowing dust and extreme temperatures, according to Jones.
Strobel did not rule on the county’s request for a preliminary injunction barring the Crunch Fitness gym in Santa Clarita from holding indoor operations, deciding to postpone that part of the hearing until Feb. 18. The Soledad Canyon Roadgym and owner Greg Maloomian will remain bound until then by the same TRO that was imposed on the Planet Fitness gyms on Dec. 17.
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Kimberly Davis says
Planet Fitness was doing all the right things!! It’s some of the members who once passed the front desk, didn’t. I’d see some not wipe down after use, some just took a little piece of paper towels and spray an itty bitty of spray use it twice 2 machines. I wanted desperately to say something, but just told ppl up front instead. It’s ppl like this that don’t give a rats ass, cuz they think they’re too young to catch it. Puhhleeease how stupid were you raised?
hadCovid says
Well, I had Covid, i still went to Crunch Fitness to workout daily even after I had Covid while i was infected with Covid.. I came down with what seemed to be a cold, went and got tested that same day i felt kinda sick and tested Negative. Since I tested Negative, i continued to go the gym daily. 1 week later my wife got really sick and tested positive for Covid.. I went and got another test and tested positive. Of course I stopped going to the gym but because of this im sure I infected alot of people at the gym.. Also, im pretty sure I got Covid from the gym..
Should the gym close? No, i think if your scared to get it then just dont go..
Loam says
Every place of business in California has a sign on or near the door that says material in the building may cause cancer, birth defects, and other illnesses (Prop 65 warning) yet we all go in. With the possibility of catching a virus, the state shuts the business down. In what world do these two facts exist in the same society?
Celebrity Trainer says
One doesn’t need a gym to get a great workout. As far as shopping goes, Amazon provides an efficient and safe alternative to shopping with poorly dressed and COVID-19-infected shoppers at Wal-Phart.
Demented Joe says
Amazon yeah they send you the exact opposite of what you need, and bozo beezo gets richer lol. People get covid through the mail.
Gabriel Soto says
They need to close the GYM on Palmdale Blvd….s o o n please ……CRUNCH GYM….
Jenn says
Seriously Crunch is open I get advertisement for them that they are open indoor and clean. So was PF in fact is very clean. Also this is crap as other states have gyms wide open.
Demented Joe says
I like to go to Wal-Mart. Support big Chinese government and get covid
AV Illegal says
Just go to Walmart or Lowes to work out. Same amount of people, plenty of stuff to lift. You will be supporting your local corporations, not those pesky smaller businesses……what a deal.