Gravette pool, splash park open

GRAVETTE — The city swimming pool and splash park opened for the summer May 30.

The hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. The pool is at 405 Charlotte St. S.E., just east of the Civic Center.

Admission to the pool is $5 until 5 p.m. for ages 6 and older and $3 until 5 p.m. for ages 5 and under. Admission drops to half-price from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday admission is half-price all day. Season passes are available at City Hall or at the pool. An individual season pass is $55 and a family pass, for up to four members living in the same household, is $120. Additional members can be added to the family pass for $10.

The pool can be reserved for pool parties for a cost of $125 for 25 guests or less and $150 for more than 25 but less than 50 guests. Pool party reservations are being accepted at City Hall and at the pool. Pool parties are limited to 50 guests under current Arkansas Health Department guidelines.

Corbin Anderson is the pool manager this year. Anderson, who has served as a lifeguard for several years, is assisted by lifeguards Hannah Cole, Hunter Cole, Dillon Hendricks, Micayla Hendricks, Tajae White, Lucas McDougal, Stormey Pembleton, Kelsey Fletcher and Jose Ramirez-Balderas.

Guests at the pool must follow state health department guidelines. Pool capacity is reduced by 50%, with a limit of no more than 62 people in the pool at one time. Measures have been taken to encourage social distancing. Waiting spots for the slide and diving board have been marked 6 feet apart on the concrete and chairs have been spaced out.

City officials ask that swimmers not come to the pool if they have had a fever of over 100.4 in the last two days; have had a cough, difficulty breathing, sore throat or loss of taste or smell; or have had contact with a person known to be infected with covid-19 in the previous 14 days.

(NWA Democrat-Gazette/Susan Holland) Several teens work on their tan on the edge of Gravette’s pool while young Ethan Cooley, 12, of Siloam Springs, dives into the water. Cooley said he and his family come to Gravette to enjoy the pool since Siloam Springs’ water park has been closed.