Brent Kauth, owner of North Battleford's Lifetime Fitness, at the gym Monday. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Angela Brown

Some still opting to wear a mask

Local businesses keeping busy with masks no longer mandatory

Feb 28, 2022 | 4:57 PM

Some Battlefords area business are seeing more activity now that the province’s COVID-19 restriction for masking was lifted on Monday.

Masking first went into effect Sept. 17, 2021 for indoor public spaces.

Brent Kauth, owner of Lifetime Fitness in North Battleford, said it makes it easier for clients using the space now that masks are no longer required.

“I think everybody is pretty happy with it,” he said.

He said people weren’t required to wear masks when they were actually working out in their own space, only when they entered the gym and went to the change room.

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“It’s not a huge change for us, but it’s nice not having to put it on and take it off constantly,” Kauth said.

With masks no longer mandatory and checks for proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result also lifted, he said he is seeing more people come to the gym.

“We definitely gained back some customers that weren’t on board with everything,” Kauth said. “So it’s been busier.”

North Battleford resident Noel Stone who was using the gym Monday said it’s been easier for him without the masking protocol. He was using his mask periodically when exercising at his discretion, and said he found it to be rather cumbersome while going about his routine.

“It’s actually better when you are exercising when you are getting your full oxygen,” he said. “You are not breathing in your expelled oxygen [like] when you’re working out with a mask.”

Stone said having the mask on was “almost like wearing an extra set of clothes,” but he said he appreciates that safety always comes first during the pandemic.

Many still wearing masks

Kelly’s Computer Works co-owner Darryl Arnold said many of the customers coming into the store Monday were still wearing their masks, even though it’s no longer mandatory.

“Everybody has their own choices whether or not they want to wear a mask,” he said. “I’ve kind of been paying attention this morning and it looks like 98 per cent of the customers that have come in have had a mask on still.”

Arnold said he hasn’t questioned customers on whether they are still wearing their masks by choice or by habit.

He said most of his staff are not wearing masks, although some are still masking up.

As far as business goes, Arnold says the shop is always quite busy so he hasn’t noticed a difference in activity levels since the mandate was lifted.

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow