Duke Health & Fitness Center

Membership Policies

Announcements

Become a new member and get a discounted initiation fee. Duke employees pay no fee ($100 off) and community members pay just half ($50 savings). To receive this discount, complete a membership application online or in-person between Jan. 3 and Feb. 10.

Face masks are required at this location.

If you have or suspect you have been exposed to COVID-19, take these precautions before you seek care. If you have an appointment, learn about the safety measures in place at all Duke Health locations.

Cancellation Policies

Individual
Any cancellation or rescheduling of individual appointments must be made at least 24 hours in advance. Failure to do so will result in a full charge for the service. This applies to:

  • Personal training
  • Massage therapy
  • Nutrition consultations
  • Fitness assessments
  • Health Coaching

Group Fitness and Pool Reservations
Any cancellation or rescheduling of in-person group fitness or pool reservations must be made at least 24 hours in advance. Failure to do so will result in a $15 cancellation/no-show fee per reservation.

In-Person and Virtual Programs
Due to high demand and participant limits for some of our exercise, weight loss, or medical fitness programs, it's important to let us know about any cancellations as soon as possible. This will help us provide your space to someone else. 

  • If you make a cancellation request at least seven days or more before to the start of a program, you will receive a refund of your payment minus an administration fee of 10% of the registration fee.
  • If you make a cancellation request fewer than seven days before a program starts or do not arrive on your scheduled start date, you will forfeit your payment.

Lockers

Our policies for daily locker use are part of our COVID-19 precautions.

  • Complimentary lockers are available in each locker room for daily use. Locker keys can be obtained at the front desk.
  • If you'd like to have your own, dedicated locker, you can rent one on an annual basis. See the front desk for more information.
  • Members and guests may be subject to a $25 replacement fee for unreturned or lost locker keys.
  • Duke Health & Fitness Center is not responsible for any loss, damage, or theft of personal property placed in lockers.

Clothing and Footwear

Masking Policies
Masks are required for most Fitness Center activities as part of our COVID-19 precautions.

  • Masks are required for all indoor activities and group classes.
  • Masks are optional for aquatic classes but should be worn on the pool deck and in the hot tub. You do not have to remain masked when swimming or showering.
  • Masks are not required for outdoor classes and programs.

Attire and Shoes
Comfortable clothes are recommended for ease of movement.

  • Shirts and shoes must be worn in all non-aquatic activity areas.
  • Closed-toe shoes must be worn during exercise in our gym or outside. Sandals or flip-flops are not permitted unless medically required.
  • We recommend wearing pool shoes when involved in pool or spa activities. Pool shoes protect your feet from possible abrasions and also help to prevent slipping on wet surfaces.
  • Shoes that have been worn outside are not permitted for use in the pool.

Please Refrain from Wearing Perfume or Cologne

In consideration of other members and guests with allergies or other pulmonary concerns, please refrain from wearing perfume, cologne, after-shave, or other similar fragrances in our facility. Deodorant is encouraged.

Pool and Whirlpool

Our 180-square-foot pool offers lanes 20 yards in length and has a depth of 3.5 feet. It's kept at 84 degrees for your comfort.

As part of our COVID-19 policies, 30-minute reservations must be made for lap swimming and individual water walking. Keep your mask on to and from the pool. A full list of changes to pool use and reservation policies can be found in our COVID-19 precautions.

Showers are required before entering the pool or whirlpool. No tissues, open wounds, or bandages are allowed in the pool or whirlpool.

Pool Guidelines

  • Reservations are limited to one per person, per day, and can be made no more than six days in advance, starting at 9 pm.
  • Please arrive a few minutes before your reservation so you can begin your workout on time, and structure your workout so you can be out of your lane at the end of your reservation.
  • If you’ve made a reservation and can no longer make it, call us to allow another member to use that time.

We are required to close the pool for 30 minutes after a thunderstorm. Reservations that are interrupted because of the weather will not be extended. The pool closes at 7:30 pm on weekdays, 3:30 pm on Saturdays, and 1:45 pm on Sundays.

When Using the Pool

  • Do not wear dirty shoes in the pool area or run on the pool deck.
  • Use handrails where available.
  • The pool is shallow -- there is no diving. 
  • No lane lines are in the pool during group exercise classes, and swimming is not be allowed.
  • Three lane lines are placed in the pool by staff at the end of classes. These lanes are given priority to lap swimmers.
  • If a lane is empty, it may be used for water walking or another type of exercise, but you must offer the lane to someone who will be swimming laps.
  • During times of high volume, lap swimmers are expected to share a lane with another swimmer with a maximum of two people per lane. Adjust your swim stroke for the safety of other swimmers.
  • Use of lanes is on a first-come, first-serve basis, but your time will be limited to 30 minutes if others are waiting to use the lane.
  • For those wanting to water walk or do stationary exercises, the open pool area (outside of the marked lanes) may be used.
  • Personal trainers may reserve a lane for training sessions by placing signage on either end of the lane.

Lifeguards are not on duty. Please do not swim alone. See our fitness staff if you have questions or concerns about pool use.

Whirlpool
Due to the high temperature and humidity, the whirlpool can be dangerous to your health. Consult your physician before use and limit your time to 10 minutes or less. Avoid the high heat and humidity of the whirlpool if you’re pregnant or have a medical condition such as high blood pressure, heart disease, or respiratory problems.

Cleaning Policies
The pool and spa areas are closed for deep-cleaning from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm the first Wednesday of each month to maintain safe and clean aquatic spaces. Once every two months, the spa is closed one day, all day every two months for cleaning. In both cases, signage will alert you to the closures ahead of time.

Towels

We provide towels for all of our members and guests. As you leave the facility, please leave your used towels in hampers near the front desk.

Sauna

Only two people at a time may use the dry sauna per our COVID-19 safety precautions. Masks and social distancing of at least six feet are required.

Both locker rooms have a dry sauna. For your safety, limit sauna time to 10 minutes or less to avoid potential heat exhaustion or heatstroke. Users at high risk -- pregnant women, individuals with high blood pressure, heart disease, or other medical conditions that could be exacerbated by high-temperature exposure -- should consult a medical professional before using the sauna. 

Because it is a dry sauna, do not add any water to the heating unit. It will cause electrical problems and potential safety issues.

COVID-19 Cleaning and Sanitizing

Help Keep Our Spaces Clean

We encourage everyone to contribute to a clean environment. Please contact the front desk staff with any questions or if cleaning is needed in our facility.

  • Place your soiled towels in the hampers.
  • Do not leave towels in the locker room.
  • Use provided disinfectant spray and disposable paper towels to clean exercise equipment before and after every use. Spray bottles and paper towels are located throughout the facility. 
  • Wash your hands before and after your workout. We also have hand sanitizer stations throughout the building.

We use advanced COVID-19 cleaning and disinfecting procedures to keep you safe.

Guests

Guests are welcome and sign an exercise waiver before using the fitness center. Guest passes provide full access to the facility and services and may be purchased at the front desk for $15/day or $40/week.

Members receive two free, one-time guest passes when joining on an annual contract.

Children

Membership is limited to people 16 years and older.

Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult and must stay in the lobby or by the front desk at all times. They are not allowed in our exercise areas. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult to use the restroom in our locker rooms.

Cell Phones

Please be aware of your safety and be considerate of others when using a cell phone in the facility. Limit usage as appropriate. If you’re posing a risk to yourself or others while using a mobile device, staff may ask you to refrain from use.

  • Cell phones may not be used while using strength equipment or during group exercise classes. 
  • If your volume is too loud, you may be asked to use headphones.
  • Photos and videos are not allowed in the facility, including locker rooms. 

Lost and Found

Any personal items found in the facility should be turned in at the front desk. Items will be held for 14 days, and then thrown away.

Membership Medical Freezes

If you become injured and can’t exercise, we can apply a medical freeze to your membership for up to six months in monthly increments. To activate a freeze:

  • Complete this form.
  • We will freeze your membership once we receive documentation from your physician that indicates you are unable to exercise.

We must be notified within three months of the onset of the illness or injury. Memberships are not frozen retrospectively beyond three months.

Emergency Response and Safety Information

Medical Emergency
In the event of a medical emergency, a staff member blows a whistle three times, alerting our team to the situation. An announcement over the speakers alerts everyone that Duke Health and Fitness Center staff is responding. All team members are CPR and automated external defibrillator (AED) certified and are trained to respond with safety measures that protect you and anyone in need.

To ensure our preparedness, we regularly run practice emergency drills during normal fitness center hours. If we are simulating an emergency, we will place a yellow sign at the front desk explaining the drill. Overhead announcements will state it is only a drill.

In either situation, guests are asked to remain away from an emergency area.
 
AED and First Aid
Multiple first aid kits are located throughout the fitness center. One AED is available for emergency purposes. All kits and AEDs are kept on a regular maintenance schedule. If you or your guest feel ill and need assistance, alert a staff member.
 
Glucometer
A glucometer is on-site for blood glucose emergencies. Our staff receive annual training on how to operate and maintain the glucometer and know safety protocols assisting in a situation that involves blood.

Severe Weather
In case of severe weather (ice, snow, tornado, hurricane, etc.), call the front desk (919-660-6660) or check our website to confirm hours. If a weather event occurs overnight, our hotline will have a recorded announcement by the start of that day’s business hours. We adhere to Duke’s severe weather protocols.

If the facility is closed because of inclement weather, members will be notified by email and text message. Notifications will also be posted to our website and Facebook page. If there is a tornado warning, an overhead announcement will alert everyone to shelter in place in the nearest locker room until the National Weather Service lifts the warning.