Aquatic center to open Thursday with health department guidelines

SILOAM SPRINGS — The Family Aquatic Center will open Thursday, City Administrator Phillip Patterson announced during the a board meeting June 2.

Patterson said the city has been working on a way to figure out how to open the center in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic. The aquatic center will be open from 1 until 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and 2 to 6 p.m. on Sunday until Aug. 16, he said. Beginning Aug. 22 the aquatic center will be open weekends only.

The splash pad at Memorial Park will also be open starting Thursday every day with the same hours as the aquatic center until Aug. 16, according to the city’s Facebook page. Beginning Aug. 22, the splash pad will be open weekends only.

The maximum occupancy for the aquatic center will be reduced from 300 people to 125 to ensure proper social distancing, Patterson said. This would be 50% occupancy with the remaining 25 being staff, he said

“We can do that within the directions that the Arkansas Health Department has provided,” Patterson said.

Other guidelines include not opening the baby pool; staff separating chairs and tables to ensure the 6-foot social distancing requirement; no outside food or drink except water; no swim lessons; no toys or noodles would be allowed in the pool; and the concession stand would potentially have pre-packaged items, Patterson said.

No memberships, pavilion rentals or groups will be allowed except for the McKee Employees Recreation Association with which the city has a contractual obligation. Staff would allow McKee employees to come on a first come first serve basis, Patterson said. The swim team will be allowed to practice from 7 to 10 a.m. on Mondays and Thursdays, but no swim meets will be held at the aquatic center, Patterson said.

Rules for the splash pad include signs to remind people of social distancing; markedoff spaces around water to show proper distancing; the water fountain will not be operational; and the Splash Pad will run continuously, the post states.

Patterson said the center is subsidized by money from the general fund. The average amount to operate the center is $48,000 a year. With all of the directives to adhere to, the amount to run the aquatic center this year is going to be $98,000, as long as people come and go twice everyday, Patterson said.

“If all 125 come in at one time and don’t turn over that subsidy will go up,” Patterson said.

Due to this high amount Patterson wanted to know what the board thought.

Board members agreed unanimously to open the Family Aquatic Center this year.

“If the money’s not there I’m all for reaching into the reserves and bringing a little life back to Siloam,” Director Brad Burns said. “If we have to spend $100,000 it will be the best $100,000 ever spent.”

Marc Hayot may be reached by email at mhayot@nwadg.com.