Cedar Rapids municipal pools will open this summer with a phased approach, the city announced on Tuesday. Modifications will be made to follow health guidelines and the city’s plans are flexible if changes need to be made due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Noelridge Aquatic Center will open on Saturday, May 29, which is Memorial Day weekend. Cherry Hill Aquatic Center will have a special evening swim kick-off on Tuesday, June 1, with daily operations beginning the next day on Wednesday, June 2.
Bever, Jones and Ellis pools will open the last week of June during afternoons only.
City pools were closed last summer due to the pandemic. In an announcement last May, the city said closing the pools was the safest option due to the number of surfaces that are touched at the pool and the difficulty of social distancing in the water.
According to the Parks and Recreation Department news release on Tuesday, the pools will be able to “effectively meet public needs, even with health guidelines in place.”
“In previous years our attendance in June was lower due to cooler temperatures and kids getting out of school,” Parks and Recreation Director Scott Hock said in the release. “We anticipate this will occur again and the aquatic centers will be able to safely handle the demand.”
When pools open this summer, individuals will be required to wear masks while they are not the water or eating and drinking. Lifeguards will be masked unless they are in the water or on an elevated lifeguard chair.
People will be allowed to bring their own deck furniture until pool furniture is available.
Lap swimming will be offered at the outdoor pools, however, reservations will be required. Season passes will not be sold this year, but there will be adjustments to the punch-card system to make it more affordable for patrons who swim regularly.
Hock said pool use is expected to grow as the public continues to be vaccinated. Gov. Kim Reynolds announced last week that all Iowans will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccination starting on April 5.
As of Tuesday, nearly 38,000 Linn County residents have completed their vaccine series, according to data from the Iowa Department of Public Health.
