The
Genoveva Chavez Community Center
, which had in the past only asked for members' names or $5 from nonmembers, is working on a plan to require that gym goers bring photo ID.
The change, according to the desk clerk the night of Tuesday, Jan. 19 when a young man was being removed by a security guard, was in response to people, such as that young man, who had allegedly broken car windows and stolen items from the center. Tuesday night, guests were required to sign in and told that, in the future, they'd need to bring photo IDs.
City Manager Robert Romero wasn't aware of the particular incident. "We've had issues with people that come in and steal, fight, whatever," Romero says. "It's not uncommon, but it's not like stuff like that happens every day."
Romero says he is working on a policy that would require photo ID and estimates the policy will be in place either March 1 or April 1. "We just wanna know who's in the building," he says. "We wanna make sure it's a safe place for everyone there."
Romero says the policy won't be sudden. "Once we completely define the policy, [our goal] is letting people know this policy will be in effect on a certain day."
And the kids?
"I'm gonna have to look into what we're going to go about that. They don't really have IDs." He adds moments later: "Maybe what we could actually do is, I know we have some equipment to create IDs. Maybe we could just create an ID for them."
For now just go or don't go to the gym as usual.
