(Posted June 10, 2020)
By Kristy Zurbrick, Madison Editor
After much discussion, Plain City village council voted 4-2 to open the aquatic center this summer.
The decision came during council’s June 8 meeting. Jody Carney, Shannon Pine, Frank Reed and John Rucker voted in favor of opening the pool facility. Sherry Heineman and Darren Lee voted against it.
“By opening the pool, I think we can help Plain City children maintain some hope for some normalcy,” Carney said, noting the changes children have experienced at school and in their daily lives due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Now comes the task of setting up rules and regulations for pool staff and customers that comply with state and local COVID-19 safety standards. Admission rates, hours, and an opening date also must be determined.
“Our goal is to open by the end of June,” said Linda Granger, parks and recreation director.
Timing will depend, in part, on staffing, particularly how quickly the lifeguards can be certified. Many missed out on classes earlier this spring due to cancellations related to the pandemic. Granger said the aquatic center can providing training in-house.
Thoughts are to initially open the pool to residents only, see how things go, then look at opening the pool to the broader public.
At one point, village leaders considered a plan in which pool goers would be offered two-hour time slots. Now, Granger said, it is likely the village will go with half-day admissions–11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 3:30 to 7:30 p.m., leaving a half-hour in between to disinfect.
To help with social distancing outside the pool, the center will provide patrons with chairs that must stay in place. The chairs will be disinfected after use, Granger said.
Pool staff will spend the next couple of weeks working with health department officials to finalize safety guidelines and rules.
“We’re excited to be opening the pool,” Granger said. “We will do our best to provide a great experience.”
The Plain City Aquatic Center is located at 160 W. Second St. For updates, visit www.plain-city.com/aquatic-center or download the village’s free smartphone app (search for “Village of Plain City).
