🥊 Let's Get Physical!
Gyms, pools and dance studios are open from today.
Hey Neighbour, Simon here. Judging by the traffic clogging Woolloomooloo during Friday’s rush hour, we are back to normal. I’m nostalgic for the calm of the lockdown, but grateful that restrictions continue to ease. Scroll down to read how gyms are reopening, and the hygiene methods they’re adapting to keep everyone healthy.
90 days later! BoxFit is back at Woolloomooloo PCYC.
Reminder: this is a free, weekly newsletter serving Woolloomooloo. As always I’m very keen to understand what specific information you want to know, so please do email me if there’s something you want covered. Today’s edition is 959 words, a 3-minute read.
Where We’re At With COVID-19 😷
NSW has 3115 cases and 48 deaths, with five new cases this week. Four were returned travellers in quarantine, one is locally acquired and under investigation.
NSW tested 45,527 people over the past week. Our postcode NSW 2011 has 30 cases from 2377 tests: with one case active.
Australia has 7290 cases and 102 deaths, with 507 cases active.
1,755,550 tests have been conducted in Australia since the beginning of the pandemic, including 606,000 in NSW. A remarkable testing regime!
What’s Open? What’s Closed? 🚫
Gyms, yoga classes, and dance studios can reopen from today. Fitness classes are capped at a maximum of 10 people. I couldn’t find any yoga studios reopened yet.
Hilary Kaplan at Alegria Dance Studios on Bourke Street said: “It’s absolutely WONDERFUL having students back face-to-face from today. We’ve been conducting classes on Zoom through the pandemic, but it’s going to be so nice to see everyone.” Alegria do ballet, Spanish, jazz and tap classes, for adults and kids.
F45 Woolloomooloo is back open today! Check out their Facebook or Instagram for a brilliant video from their “resident Kween” Maxine Shield, talking you through reopening do’s and don’ts (“no booky, no looky”). Book classes via the app: you’ll have your own box to train at a safe social distance from others.
Boxing for fitness at Woolloomooloo PCYC reopens on Monday, with classes at 6:30am and 5:30pm. Pre-payments and pre-bookings only, no-walk ins. 20 boxers per class limits, BYO gloves and wraps, and no sparring or pad/mitt work. Call 9360 5835 or email cityofsydney@pycycnsw.org.au to book.
“No booky, no looky”: still from F45 Woolloomooloo’s excellent reopening video. ✅
Trifu Dojo karate (who normally hold classes indoors at ABC and Cook+Phillip) is holding outdoor classes near ABC Pool on Saturday afternoons.
Cook+Phillip Park Aquatic and Fitness Centre remains closed. Prince Alfred Park pool (9319 2727) and Victoria Park pool (9518 4800) have re-opened for lap swimming, but with only eight people at a time, book by calling the pools direct.
Juanita Nielsen Community Centre gym and Spudds on Riley remain closed.
Tattoo parlours are open from today too. The very excited chap on the phone at Stone Heart on William Street said: “it’s so good to be back, rather than just sitting around smoking copious amounts of weed.” They’re also doing piercings.
How’s the Old Fitzroy Going? 🥧
They’re the local heroes who make our little slice of Sydney so special. This week I chatted to the Old Fitzroy’s licensee Mark Murphy.
How are you?
Good thanks, considering. Getting coffee across the road has been the most exciting time of the day the past few months.
How has the Old Fitz going?
The Old Fitzroy has been closed since March 23. I know exactly what date we closed because my birthday was on the Saturday and my friends took me to Whale Beach. It felt weird being outside in those early days. By Sunday we decided to close because it was too hard policing the restrictions, then on the Monday they closed everything. It was such a weird time.
What are you missing most about the pub being closed?
The vibe, the locals, the chatter, the menu, the staff, the theatre. The important things. We had some really interesting things lined up and ready to go before the lockdown. It was sad because we were all excited about it. The theatre had a great season lined up. We don't know when the government will allow theatres back in action. The arts have really got the ass-end of the stick with virtually no support from the government.
Delicious pies, sausage rolls and other goodies for Saturday and Sunday pick-up.
How's the take up been for your take-away menu?
We decided to do take-out just to keep the kitchen alive and to help one of our chefs who wasn't entitled to government assistance. It's been going really well. I built a Shopify store and it's really worked out: head chef Nik Hill has done amazing pastries and pies. People, especially locals, have been very supportive. We just open for a couple of hours on Saturday and Sunday and people can order online during the week.
How are you feeling about the future?
It's gonna be a hard slog. We only had the pub for a year before the lockdown and I just felt like what we were doing was finally gaining traction and working well with all the hard work we had put into it. There's going to be a lot that can't come back out of this and it will take a long time for the majority of businesses to get back to where they were pre-lockdown.
Tasty! Old Fitzroy Hotel’s Nik Hill in the kitchen.
Last But Not Least 🇮🇩
Spotted on social: self-described “Asian fusion restaurant” Woolloomooloo Jakarta (Mexican Nachos and Fish Fingers on the menu, plus Mac N Cheese Spring Rolls). If anyone knows how it got its name, please let me know!
Until next time, stay safe, and please email if you have anything to share. Thanks!
Thanks for the great update 😊