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Phoenix public pools will stay closed, need time to safely plan
May 13, 2020, 11:35 AM | Updated: 7:43 pm
BERLIN, GERMANY - JULY 27: Louis (L), 2, and his sister Clara, 4, cool off in the shallow pool with their parents at the Freibad Kiebitzberge outdoor public pool on July 27, 2013 in Berlin, Germany. Central Europe is currently experiencing a heat wave that is predicted to bring temperatures to 40 degrees Celsius by tomorrow and in some regions will likely break local records. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
(Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
PHOENIX — Some Valley public pools won’t be opening right away despite Gov. Doug Ducey’s decision to allow pools to reopen statewide on Wednesday.
The Phoenix City Council and Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department will work together in order to develop a safe plan for reopening and day-to-day operations, with the health and welfare of customers and employees being of the utmost importance.
On Tuesday, Ducey announced his new “Stay Healthy, Return Smarter, Return Stronger” executive order that provided proper social distancing and sanitation guidelines for pools to reopen.
“Once the City Council provides feedback, the Parks and Recreation Department must be allowed 30 days to prepare its pools for aquatics-related activities,” the City of Phoenix said in a press release.
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“It takes that amount of time to complete hiring and training of staff and to prepare the pools for swimmers.”
The department says it’s considering all aspects of operations as it pertains to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, such as physical distancing and limitations on large group gatherings.
Phoenix public pools are normally open six days a week from Memorial Day weekend through the end of July.
From August through Labor Day, 11 Phoenix public pools are open on weekends only.
The cities of Buckeye, Peoria and Surprise have also announced the delayed reopening of their public pools, stating that both health and economics will be factors in planning.
However, Peoria pools will be opening for swim lessons on June 8, according to its website.
