SAN DIEGO (KGTV) -- Boulevard Fitness in University Heights is open for business, with a line of people wrapped around the building waiting to go inside to workout on Tuesday, even though they’re not supposed to be open.
Last week, San Diego County Supervisors said the county would be cracking down on businesses that violate public health orders put into place due to the coronavirus pandemic.
A gym owner in Ramona was recently charged with several misdemeanors for staying open for indoor workouts. The San Diego County District Attorney’s Office said Peter San Nicolas, owner of Ramona Fitness Center, faces five charges that each carry $1,000 fines.
However, at Boulevard Fitness, staff members told ABC 10News they’ve had visits from police telling them they should not be open, but nothing more.
The gym on El Cajon Boulevard is limiting the number of people inside and increasing cleaning and other measures to try to limit the risk of potential virus exposure to gym members.
A San Diego Police Department spokesperson said officers are responding to complaints about businesses that are open when they’re not supposed to be, but police are -- at this point -- only educating businesses that may be in violation of the health order and not physically forcing any shutdowns.
San Nicolas is holding a rally in Ramona Tuesday night in hopes of getting the word out that small businesses, including gyms like his, are still trying desperately to survive -- even if, in some cases, it means facing charges to stay open.
