LA Fitness reopens after lack of soap and toilet paper in the locker rooms and dirty conditions have been addressed

A Morton Grove health club has been deemed fit for duty.

The village of Morton Grove earlier today (Feb. 24) allowed the LA Fitness facility, 6821 Dempster St. to reopen after finding improved sanitary conditions.

The village closed the health club on the afternoon of Feb. 22, citing such issues as a lack of soap and toilet paper in the locker rooms.

“The locker rooms were below village sanitation standards,” explained interim village Administrator Ryan Horne. “Our immediate concern was the safety of patrons. And this is not something new. It’s been going on for a while.

Citing conversations he had with corporate officials, Horne said: “They kept making promises they would correct the problem, which they said happened because they didn’t anticipate that the place would be so busy.”

A village reinspection about 1 p.m. Feb. 23 found conditions had not improved enough to allow the facility to reopen.

By the following morning the health club had rectified sanitation concerns to the point where the village allowed the business to reopen, according to information provided by the village.

The village now is working with the company, based in Irvine, Calif., to bring the facility up to building code.

“So that’s what they were doing in there today, up on ladders,” said one club member, who did not give his name.

When asked, the man said he didn’t notice any big changes in the locker room.

Several other members concurred.

LA Fitness in December took over the health club from Bally Total Fitness, though the new owner has yet to change the name.

In addition to the sanitary issues, members have reported to the village thefts from lockers in which the locks were cut and contents stolen. Some victims also reported thieves used keys taken to ransack their vehicles.

Several attempts to reach the LA Fitness corporate office for comment have been unsuccessful.

Officials at the local office have referred all questions to the corporate office.