By Mike Hazlip–
The summertime ritual of splashing and diving is something that hasn’t been heard at Rusch Pool since the end of last summer.
The public pool, operated by Sunrise Recreation and Park District, opened public swim sessions Wednesday, the first public swim since the COVID-19 shutdown. Becky Herz, senior recreational manager for the district, told The Sentinel in an interview Wednesday that precautions have been taken to limit the potential spread of COVID-19.
Herz said pool staff are limiting occupants to about 60 people for a pool with a capacity of 300. The risk of transmitting the virus remains low in the chlorinated water, she said.
The district has also modified swim camps and teams this season. Herz said only one swimmer is allowed for each lane, limiting participants to 14 at a time. She said during a normal season, the facility would see 200 swimmers at a time.
Liliya Tkach and her daughter Annette were excited to have public swim back in session. Tkach hopes the pool stays open for the remainder of the season.
Swimmers wanting to enter the facility must wear a face mask, and have their temperature checked at the entrance. Face masks are not allowed in the pool while swimming, however.
The delayed start to this year’s season meant an accelerated training program for the lifeguards as well.
Dave Mitchell, district administrator for Sunrise Recreation and Park District, told The Sentinel in an interview Wednesday that the usual training program of two days per week was condensed to six days per week to get new staff certified. The district also has several returning lifeguards.
Mitchell said there has not been any change to pool water treatment from last season. Public pools are closely regulated by the county health department, and chlorine must be maintained in levels sufficient to kill most types of bacteria and viruses.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released recommendations in May for the safe operation of public pools, hot tubs and water playgrounds, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Recommendations include face coverings when not in water and social distancing of swimmers both in and out of the water.
