The City of Yakima’s Lions Pool opens to the public today, Tuesday, August 4th, for the first time since COVID-19 restrictions went into effect in March.
Lions Pool is open for lap swimming and water walking activities.
“With Yakima County now in Modified Phase 1 we are so excited to be able to open Lions Pool to the community,” said Parks and Recreation Manager Ken Wilkinson. “We ask for the public’s patience and cooperation as we open the pool with social-distancing requirements.”
Those requirements and precautions include:
- A 6-foot separation between individuals must be maintained at all times.
- Refrain from congregating as groups anywhere in the pool area, lobby, or parking lot.
- The number of people allowed into the facility at any one time will be limited to 35 people to minimize exposure for staff and swimmers.
- Increased frequency of routine cleaning, sanitization, disinfection of all common areas and frequently touched surfaces.
- Personal protective equipment will be provided to all staff, which they will be required to wear at all times.
- Swim lessons, recreational swimming and rentals will not be offered until further notice.
- Exercise equipment will be available as long as users place used equipment in the return bins and not back on the racks.
- Users will pick up their own equipment, not leaving it for others to handle.
- Staff will maintain filtration and recirculation systems according to manufacturer recommendations.
- To ensure swimmers safety, staff will test pH and disinfectant levels at least twice per day (hourly when in heavy use).
- Leave Lions Pool as soon as activities are finished.
Any Lions Pool employee who is sick will not be allowed to work. Any employee showing signs of sickness while at work will be immediately sent home. Community members are asked to stay home if they are sick or feeling ill.
Lions Pool is located at 509 West Pine Street. It can be reached at 575-6046. Visit https://yakimaparks.com/aquatics/ for more about City aquatic programs and protocols for opening Lions Pool.
Prior to opening Lions Pool, the City signed the “Open and Safe” pledge with the Yakima Health District stating it will follow all COVID-19 guidance. The City also submitted a plan for COVID-19 protocols to the Greater Yakima Chamber of Commerce.
Both steps are required for all businesses in the City of Yakima before they open under Modified Phase 1. Click https://www.yakimacounty.us/2429/Safe-Start-Yakima-County for more information.
Yakima County moved to Modified Phase 1 of the state’s Safe Start program on July 24th thanks to efforts by county residents to wear masks when in public. The City is helping to lead this effort through the “Mask up to Open up” campaign. More information is available at https://www.yakimawa.gov/covid19/