Photo courtesy of city of Dublin
When 5:30 a.m. rolls around, Kim Ridout isn’t waking up – she’s already at the gym. During the past year and a half of the pandemic, Ridout has found some critical support from what she dubs “the 5:30 a.m. crew,” made up of the dedicated staff of the Dublin Community Recreation Center.
The recreation center, known as the DCRC, has become a sanctuary for Ridout – an “escape” from her on-demand life as a mental health therapist.
“All day, I listened to people talk about the trauma of COVID, the deaths, the depression, all of the things – homeschooling – everything that’s come along with COVID,” she says.
A Dublin resident for the past decade, Ridout has been a member of the recreation center for years, but she says the pandemic, as it did with many facets of life, transformed her experience with the center.
A weights and cardio person, Ridout recalls that she didn’t often talk to recreation center staff or other regulars before the pandemic. That changed for her as she witnessed the enthusiasm from the four-person “5:30 a.m. crew” once operations were back online. Her experience felt personalized, with the crew engaging with patrons, all while focused on keeping the DCRC hospitable and safe throughout the COVID-19 restrictions.
“They created the same experience,” she says. “They greeted us, they laughed, they talked to us, they kept it clean. They just made it really personal for everyone.
“For me,” Ridout continues, “it was like, ‘Life was going to return to normal again. There is laughter in the world.’ Because that’s not the part of the world I was seeing.”
After getting to know the early-morning crew members, Ridout recognized how each person faced their own struggles born from the pandemic but admired how they could make it feel like “life was still good” at the recreation center.
“I feel like that commitment, no matter what was happening in their life, to keep it healthy and safe so that we could continue to come to work out was a huge thing. I think that was a great gift that they gave us.”
Recreation Resiliency
Eighty-six days. DCRC administrators remember the exact count from March 14 to June 7, 2020, when the recreation center closed to comply with state orders set to limit the spread of COVID-19. It was a stark change for many industries, yet the DCRC didn’t stand idly by.
Tracey Gee, Director of Recreation Services, says during those weeks her staff members partnered closely with Franklin County Public Health to update their operations and kept the public’s well-being at the forefront of their work.
“We rewrote every operating practice we have with COVID in mind because we knew at some point we’d be reopening,” Gee recalls. “We tried to figure out what’s the best way to open to keep people the safest, and that meant different things for different demographic groups.”
Staff reviewed how to better serve older adults who are more vulnerable to COVID-19 and kept up communication with recreation center members about the new restrictions. Gee notes the DCRC reopened with enhanced sanitizing measures, reduced capacity rules and other practices aimed at patron and employee health.
“I feel optimistic because we’ve been doing this for so long that we’re ready,” Gee says of the last year since the center’s reopening. “We know what’s coming: If we need to make adjustments we can make them, and we know that we can keep people safe. … People should feel confident and comfortable coming back.”
As a DCRC goer, Ridout notes she missed her routine, so she went to feel out the center once it reopened. She says her hesitancy cleared because of “this huge commitment to being clean” from staff. Having visited another recreation center out of state, she noticed just how spotless the DCRC is in comparison.
Gee reflects on the frontline crews and all who work to keep the DCRC running.
“The staff have been the lynchpin in making our services work and in serving the community,” she says. “It was a really difficult time to balance safety and service, and I think our staff did an unbelievably amazing job at that.”
Something for Everyone
Photo courtesy of city of Dublin
The DCRC bills its robust fitness offerings as a way “to help you reach your goals.” Membership and daily passes are available for Dublin residents as well as non-residents; memberships can also be customized in an a la carte fashion.
Featuring more than 30 fitness classes per week, the center has amenities including an indoor track and gymnasium, two pools, stationary bikes and free weights, a Wee Folk Room where patrons’ kids can receive babysitting, premium facility rentals for community gatherings, and the Abbey Theater of Dublin that hosts performances and is also rentable for local businesses or groups to hold meetings and presentations.
From infants to seniors, anyone can experience classes, which are open to all levels, or try specialized sessions, such as senior yoga or functional fitness classes aimed at people recovering from an injury or needing to work on balance.
As part of growing the center’s teen programming, younger people will soon be able to explore something more tailored to their own interests: esports. The DCRC will host video game competitions, and staff members point out the research about the social-emotional benefits of young people playing games together rather than being isolated at home. Gee says while this unique effort is for middle school through young adults, it can be an “ageless opportunity.” Participants in the video game competitions will also have an optional dodgeball component during tournament play.
So, how can you get involved? Purchasing an annual membership comes with a 10 percent discount on classes. Up-to-date rates are available online, including priority membership pricing for Dublin residents to engage at the DCRC. Not sure about taking on a full membership? Gee notes trial classes can help someone find their fit while the DCRC’s daily guest passes also allow for a test run.
DCRC fitness passes will be remastered to include both land and water activities, incorporating classes on the fitness floor as well as in the pools. This consolidation means the ease of having one pass for both types of activities.
Members Make the Community
Gee points out that the DCRC functions as the “central hub” of the community. “We do so many different things here that it’s unusual if we haven’t had a touch on a family, every family, in the community.” That includes serving as many young people’s first job; the City of Dublin employs hundreds of people seasonally at the recreation center and local pools.
DCRC members themselves can help contribute to that sense of togetherness, Gee says. Memberships “help us do a lot of things” by supporting the center’s varied class schedule, helping provide financial assistance for swim lessons and camps, and sponsoring adaptive and senior programs.
Ridout expresses that “community feel” is evident when she sees City of Dublin maintenance workers and police officers exercising at the recreation center. “You get to know people and you know more about … things that are happening in your community, which is just a nice feeling,” she says.
Passing that sense of belonging on to her teenage son, Ridout explains “he has gotten the love for fitness” from working out at the DCRC with the “no pressure” environment. Her son has his own membership, and her daughter is ready to join the member club, too.
Ridout decided to share her sentiments in a thank-you email to the DCRC in 2021. Gee says she knows Ridout’s story is common with patrons, but it is rare for someone to share it directly with staff.
“We’re so thankful that she told us, because it’s what feeds our soul. It’s what makes our job so rewarding,” Gee notes. “Hearing someone boil it down to, ‘This is the impact you made on my life’ – those are the stories that we live for.”
DCRC Details
- Give the Gym! Put a DCRC membership on your wish list or buy one for a gift this holiday season. Be on the lookout for upcoming promotions.
- Safety is Key. Face coverings are strongly encouraged for patrons at the recreation center regardless of vaccination status. DCRC staff follow a detailed schedule to ensure equipment and spaces are clean for visitors.
- Join the Team. See what DCRC crew is hiring at DublinOhioUSA.gov/careers.
- Questions about Memberships or Daily Passes? Visit DublinOhioUSA.gov/recreation.
Rebecca Myers is a public information officer for the City of Dublin. Feedback welcome at rrmyers@dublin.oh.us.
