Dayton Daily News

Pool openings, fireworks shows are stuck in limbo

Some area cities are waiting on the state to make official ruling.

- By Nick Blizzard, Lawrence Budd and Bonnie Meibers Staff Writers

Some Dayton-area cities have already made decisions to close their pools and cancel Independen­ce Day-related fireworks events due to COVID-19 issues, but others are holding off.

The city of Dayton has not made a decision on its water recreation sites, nor its RiverScape MetroPark fireworks show, said Toni Bankston, the city’s chief communicat­ions officer.

“We are waiting to hear guidance from the governor’s office before making a decision,” she said in an email.

Last week, Miamisburg announced it will keep its Sycamore Trails Aquatic Center closed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Fairborn officials said that city’s annual Fourth of July festivitie­s are canceled for the same reason.

Lebanon will cancel its

Independen­ce Day activities at Colonial Park, but the fireworks show is still on for July 3, City Manager Scott Brunka said.

Moraine and Xenia have not yet decided on fireworks festivals, preferring to wait on a state ruling. But the

Greene County city’s splash pad will not open around Memorial Day, as is customary, City Manager Brent Merriman said.

“We are pushing this back into June, though a specific date not yet been set,” he said in an email.

No decisions on fireworks have been made in either Beavercree­k or Springboro, city officials said. Likewise, no ruling has come down on the opening of Springboro’s splash pad, said City Manager Chris Pozzuto.

Huber Heights and West Carrollton are both holding out hope their pools can open. Huber Heights hasn’t hired any lifeguards, but the city is maintainin­g the Kroger Aquatic Center, City Manager Rob Schommer said.

But the city is still planning its Fourth of July fireworks show, he said.

“We feel it’s important to provide the spaces and activities that our citizens feel comfortabl­e attending,” Schommer said.

West Carrollton has held interviews for seasonal jobs at Wilson Park Pool in hopes of opening. City council is set to talk about the issue Tuesday night, records show.

 ?? STAFF FILE PHOTO ?? Miamisburg announced this week that it will keep the Sycamore Trails Aquatic Center closed in 2020.
STAFF FILE PHOTO Miamisburg announced this week that it will keep the Sycamore Trails Aquatic Center closed in 2020.

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