Some local attractions won’t go back to full capacity yet
“We’ve always been below the 50 percent threshold allowed, and now we’re still staying below in interest of public safety and the comfort of our guests.” Jason Patlis, president and CEO, Maritime Aquarium
NORWALK — While Friday marks the first day of loosened COVID restrictions in Connecticut, some of Norwalk’s top attractions won’t be going back to full capacity just yet despite their initial enthusiasm over the shift.
The Maritime Aquarium is increasing its capacity Friday, but not lifting all limits despite Gov. Ned Lamont giving them the OK to do so . Starting Friday, capacity limits no longer apply to restaurants, retail stores, personal services facilities, houses of worship, museums, aquariums, zoos, office buildings and other similar businesses.
Jason Patlis, the aquarium’s president and CEO, said following Lamont’s announcement they would “follow the new capacity allowances announced by the governor, but will continue the practices and protocols” they’d enforced since originally reopening.
On Thursday, he said the aquarium will be upping the number of tickets available every half hour from 175 to 225, but not going back to full capacity.
This shift will bring the aquarium’s maximum daily capacity to 3,150 people potentially coming
“It’s not feasible for Stepping Stones at this moment. We are really working and investigating ways we can open up to more people . ... From our standpoint, safety is our first thought.”
Robert Townes, director of public affairs for Stepping Stones Musuem for Children
through over the course of the day, which Patlis said is still far below 100 percent. The new 4D theater will be at 30 percent capacity to allow for social distancing and guests are still encouraged to book tickets in advance.
While state guidelines may allow for more people, Patlis, along with other local attractions, said safety guidelines to maintain consumer confidence are more important.
“The thinking is public safety,” Patlis said. “We have done very well in managing the crowds through the pandemic . ... At the same time, we’ve been (thoughtful) of what we want to offer by way of a comfortable and — as much as we can provide — a safe environment for our guests. We’ve always been below the 50 percent threshold allowed and now we’re still staying below in interest of public safety and the comfort of our guests.”
Stepping Stones Museum for Children will also be allowed to reopen to full capacity as of Friday. But the museum’s doors will remain closed as they have been since COVID hit last March.
Robert Townes, director of public affairs for Stepping Stones, said while the governor’s guidelines allow the museum to reopen, the museum is figuring out what precautions they need to take given the up-close and tactile experiences they offer. The fact that hosthe facility hosts the ELLI preschool program also factors into reopening plans.
“We are looking for ways to be able to reopen safely,” Townes said on Thursday. “While things seem to be able to move in the right direction as far as COVID is concerned and the governor’s directions are helpful, they don’t address all the challenges of a children’s museum at a time like this. We’re making sure we can provide an experience that’s as safe as possible.”
The museum is instead working toward hosting small, private events in the spring months and are staying connected to patrons through virtual content in the meantime. An exact reopening date is not set.
“The reality is we’re working really hard to prepare the museum for reopening,” Townes said. “It’s not feasible for Stepping Stones at this moment. We are really working and investigating ways we can open up to more people . ... From our standpoint, safety is our first thought.”
The aquarium, on the other hand, has had some success bringing people back since reopening last June, Patlis said, due to the nature of the attraction. Visitors can stay masked while walking through the aquarium as opposed to staying in one spot and being exposed to the people around them.
The aquarium continues to enforce the safety measures it instated when reopening post-COVID. These include encouraging one-way flow of foot traffic within the building and requiring all guests over age 2 wear masks. It has also added plexiglass dividers at the sharks and rays touch pool, and more guest services and cleaning staff on weekends to help sanitize and enforce social distancing.
Still, Patlis said visits are about half of what they were before COVID. But as more people are vaccinated and feel safer going out and about, business has increased.
“We’re now at a point were we’re seeing increase attendance to the point where most our half-hour slots are spilling out,” Patlis said. “With people’s motivations, its hard to conjecture. It’s been a very long year and folks are eager to get out to places where they feel more comfortable . ... This is a shared responsibility we’ve had since the beginning of the pandemic to look out for each other as we move forward.”
Regardless of their plans to hold off on a full reopening, Townes and Patlis said they are grateful for the lifted restrictions which allow them the flexibility to increase capacity when it feels safe.
“We want to bring that experience back to children in our community,” Townes said. “It’s a matter of making sure we can do it in the right way. It’s great to have the flexibility to guide reopening plans.”