Sudbury restaurants and gyms reopen for indoor service

The Basement Fitness is just one of the locally owned gyms in Sudbury that now has its doors back open to clients. July 16/21 (Molly Frommer/CTV News Northern Ontario)

SUDBURY -

Ontario has now officially moved to Step 3 of its economic reopening plan. For the first time in months indoor dining, gyms, cinemas, nightclubs, and other venues can now allow guests inside. 

The Basement Fitness is just one of the locally owned gyms in Sudbury that now has its doors back open to clients.

“It’s super nice to see faces back coming back in that we haven’t seen for quite some time now so our members seem to be really happy, the ones that have been coming in,” said John Hillier, co-owner of The Basement Fitness. 

One of its members said it feels good to finally workout indoors.

“Outdoor workouts are okay but once you get back into the gym, it’s a different story with the trainers and stuff it’s lot different, people need this.” 

Hillier says his gym has been closed for the majority of the past year and a half, which he says has caused a financial set back.

“It’s been horrific. Unfortunately we had no money coming in for some of our members for eleven months, so that’s really not ideal,” said Hillier. “As well as our bread and butter - our boot camps, some of our classes, specialty team training and things like that. This is our opportunity to train all those athletes and the summer is when we do a lot of that and we haven’t been able too.”

Staff with the Apollo Restaurant & Tavern say they have missed being able to serve their guests inside, and have been waiting a long time for this day to arrive.

“We’re so excited to be opening our doors to guests within the stage three restrictions and we haven’t been open since March and we’re just very, very excited,” said Nichola Begin, server at Apollo Resturant & Tavern. 

Restaurants are now open with a capacity limited to 50 per cent, but there are now no limits to how many can be at one table. 

“We can serve anyone, any size table, as long as they are six feet apart from the next table,” said Begin. 

Gatherings are also now permitted, up to 25 people indoors and 100 outdoors.

Ontario will remain in Stage 3 for at least another 21 days.