GUELPH -- Gym owners are getting ready to welcome back their clients in the next stage of Ontario's reopening plan.

Everything Fitness in Guelph was open 24/7 before the pandemic hit. Those hours will change when the gym is allowed to re-open its doors. Staff will also add new health and safety measures to make their members feel comfortable.

"Plastic barriers between people or [we] have to make them six feet apart," co-owner Gary Aguto said.

Change rooms, lockers and saunas will also stay closed when people come back to the gym. Members will be screened before exercising.

Face masks are mandatory in Guelph businesses. However, people don't need to wear them while they're working out.

Everything Fitness is still encouraging members to wear them, and staff will cover their faces.

The same rule applies in Waterloo Region, where masks will be mandatory in businesses starting next week.

Gym member Kate Pipe said it's been tough going without the gym for the past few months. She joined Everything Fitness five years ago.

"I ended up losing with Gary about 55 to 70 pounds," she said.

The mom of triplets worked out five times a week.

"Just that hour, hour and a half, of alone time, listening to music, just getting into my own headspace," she said.

When the gym is open again, sessions will be a maximum of 90 minutes. Gym goers will need to book in advance.

Only 25 people will be allowed in at a time, with cleaning time slots scheduled in between.

Co-owner Mike McCready said he's willing to do whatever is necessary to get the gym up and running again.

"We've been losing probably about $80,000 a month since we closed the doors," he said.

Dozens of members have also cancelled their memberships since the onset of the pandemic. The owners hope that doesn't continue.

"Working out has a lot of health benefits as well, so hopefully people won't be too scare to come back and trust in our ability to keep this place safe and clean for them," McCready said.

Memberships can also be put on hold until people are comfortable returning to their workouts.