Raise the Bar Gym, 2146 Fort St. in Lincoln Park, is closed after being cited July 8, after refusing to comply with the governor’s pandemic closure orders.
Gym owner defied closure order until cited
By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
LINCOLN PARK – Despite the governor’s order for gyms to remain closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, Raise the Bar Gym, 2146 Fort St., recently reopened, and refused to stay closed until cited by police.
At the July 6 online City Council meeting, Mayor Thomas Karnes said he was unaware that the gym, which is a few blocks from city hall and the police station, had defied orders and allowed patrons into the facility.
The morning of July 7, the gym was issued a warning, and a manager closed the facility. However, the next day, owner Tino Ulicne reopened the gym, and was cited, as were a dozen customers working out inside the facility.
The Building Department placed bright orange legal notice stickers on the gym’s doors, as well, signed by Building Official John Meyers, ordering the facility to remain closed until it is legally allowed to reopen.
Ulicne and the gym patrons cited will appear July 30 at 25th District Court.
Karnes thanked the Downriver Sunday Times for bringing the illegally open gym to the city’s attention at the Monday night city council meeting and for starting the process that brought the facility into compliance.