I have been a TRIFIT member for over a decade, and during this time the community has become like part of my family. Allowing TRIFIT to set up their gym and classes on the tennis court at 26th and Broadway was one of the best decisions that the City of Santa Monica made during this pandemic. Since TRIFIT set up the outdoor area, I have appreciated having a space that is safe to exercise without a mask and feel connected to others during the pandemic. I've spoken to dozens of members who feel the same and who are all extremely disappointed that TRIFIT has been asked to vacate the tennis court by the end of 2021. From the beginning, TRIFIT has taken COVID seriously and implemented every safety measure possible. There has not been a single case reported since March 2020; not an instructor, employee, or member has contracted the virus at the gym. In large part, this is because TRIFIT made the investment in the outdoor gym located out on the tennis courts. It was done as a means of survival and to make sure their community had a safe way to remain connected and stay healthy during what was, for many, a very dark time.  

We all know that COVID has been hard on small business, perhaps none more than the fitness industry. Small businesses are essential to the growth of our local economies, they have never been more vital than they are now. What is at stake here is TRIFIT’s future and securing what is in the best interest of the members of the Santa Monica community. While I understand that the City and landlord have supported keeping an outdoor footprint, I inquired and was told, there is no other secured and functional location available for the outdoor gym. Although some classes will be allowed to continue out in the park, classes will be restricted in the experiences that they can offer, and members will no longer have access to the full range of equipment outdoors that we have now. The City of Santa Monica prides itself on supporting small business, so together we are asking the City to reconsider their decision to remove the gym from the tennis courts. It seems unfair given the ever-expanding footprint of restaurants that are occupying our bike lines and parking spots throughout the city.  

If we've learned anything during COVID, it's that sometimes it takes a village to get to the finish line.  Together, we urge the City to take a serious look at finding an alternative, cooperative solution as this is an urgent matter for the greater good and well-being of the Santa Monica community.