While some Northwest suburban park districts announced Thursday that their swimming pools and water parks won’t open this summer, the Arlington Heights Park District is still holding out hope.
Rolling Meadows Park District officials on Thursday said they will keep the popular Nelson Sports Complex Pool and Splash Pad closed for the 2020 season out of health and safety concerns related to COVID-19.
And the Buffalo Grove Park District announced Thursday that its Willow Stream Pool will not open this summer, while Spray ‘N Play will remain closed — though it could open in late summer depending on the latest local, state and federal guidelines.
Those announcements followed earlier decisions by the Barrington Park District not to open its Aqualusion Pool, the Hoffman Estates Park District’s decision to keep the Seascape Family Aquatic Center closed, and the Des Plaines Park District’s decision not to open the Mystic Waters Family Aquatic Center, though the latter noted there’s still a chance that two outdoor pools, Chippewa and Iroquois, might be able to open.
The Arlington Heights Park District has decided to delay a decision about whether to open its pools, including those at Camelot, Frontier, Heritage, Pioneer and Recreation parks.
“All pool operations are suspended until we receive additional guidance from the Illinois Department of Public Health. At that time, we will evaluate the situation and make a decision,” officials said Wednesday night in a lengthy State of the Park District update related to COVID-19.
Meanwhile, summer camps in Arlington Heights are canceled for June, but registration is open for July and August, officials said. The park district is not collecting payments, while those who signed up for June camps will be credited or refunded accordingly.
The recently renovated Arlington Ridge Center — the park district’s 100,000-square-foot indoor recreation center unveiled in December — could start offering fitness classes for groups of 10 sometime in June, officials said.
“We have developed a comprehensive reopening plan to welcome you back as soon as state guidelines allow,” according to the park district announcement. “Our members can expect a clean facility, friendly staff and plenty of sanitation products and safe crowd controls upon reopening.”