On Wednesday, May 12, Guilford County parks officials announced that the county will open the aquatic centers at Bur-Mil Park, Hagan-Stone Park and Northeast Park beginning Saturday, June 5.
The pools will remain open until Saturday, Sept. 4.
The county’s pools will be open seven days a week, Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 6 p.m.
During the week, Bur-Mil Park and Northeast Park pools will be open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., while Hagan-Stone Park pool will be open Monday through Friday from noon to 6 p.m.
Admission to the county pools is $5 per person, with those under two years old admitted free.
The county’s pools get a great deal of use in the summers and the 2021 opening is no doubt terrific news for those who had to sit inside much of the summer of 2020 due to the COVID-19 restrictions. Though the pools will be open, there are of course a lot of new rules given that the pandemic isn’t over yet. County parks staff announced that they have adopted guidelines from the NC Department of Health and Human Services.
County staff will perform constant cleaning and disinfection of “high-touch” areas – and sanitizing stations will be placed at convenient locations around the pool deck.
Also, pool capacity is limited to 140 people at Bur-Mil Park, 120 people at Hagan-Stone Park and 150 people at Northeast Park. For that reason, county parks officials strongly recommend that everyone should plan their visits during weekdays and during non-peak hours so capacity limits don’t become a problem.
Here are other measures in effect to reduce the spread of COVID-19:
- Masks are strongly encouraged while in line and while walking around the pool deck. Masks are required while indoors. Masks aren’t required while on pool chairs.
- Mask use is prohibited while in the pool.
- Pool chairs are grouped together and may not be moved or shared among different households. (Guests aren’t allowed to bring their own chairs.)
- Pool parties and day care visits must be scheduled in advance.
- No swim lessons will be provided.
- The concession stand will be open but guests are allowed to bring coolers. (Unfortunately, alcohol is prohibited despite the tough last 14 months everyone has faced.)
Guilford County Parks Operations Manager Dwight Godwin said, “We’re doing all that we can to ensure our staff and guests feel safe when we open. COVID guidelines are constantly changing, so we ask that our guests be flexible and patient with the staff.”
For more information on Guilford County pools, call 336-641-7275 or visit www.guilfordparks.com.
Social distancing is required; but you can sneeze, clear your nose, bathe, relieve yourself, etc. while in the pool, without restriction.
We need some Socratic reasoning here, because I don’t comperstand all this fal-de-ral. Or, if you will, “much ado about nothing”.