Pools in Northwest Arkansas, River Valley ready for post-covid splash

Pools in Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley invite people to dive after most shut down last year because of covid-19.

Many municipal pools are opening today to kick off the first holiday weekend of the summer.

The Wilson Park pool in Fayetteville will be open daily with certain times designated for open, family and adult swims. The 330,000-gallon pool will be open to full capacity, and people won't be expected to wear masks, said Dean Rawlings, recreation programs manager with the city.

"It's an outdoor space, and I think the common knowledge at this point is that outdoor spaces are quite a bit safer than indoor spaces, so we feel comfortable with what we've got," he said.

Parks staff will only have one field trip or camp group admitted at a time to keep from overcrowding, Rawlings said. Such groups can include 50 or 60 children, he said.

The Springdale Aquatic Center at Murphy Park will remain open until school starts, said Chad Wolf, the city's parks director.

The Parks Department will host swimming lessons each morning and rent the center to groups in the evenings.

Wolf said the city will have no capacity limits because of covid-19 in place this summer. Staff responsibilities at the Aquatic Center will include extra cleaning, he said.

Bentonville's Melvin Ford Aquatic Center also will have no restrictions and be open at full capacity, said David Wright, parks director. The fountains at Lawrence Plaza also will be open.

Parks staff use covid-killing cleaning materials for all of its facilities, Wright said.

"That's not unusual for us," he said. "We have been cautious in cleaning our facilities even before the covid pandemic. But this continues to stay on the forefront as we move forward."

The Rogers Aquatic Center will open Tuesday at half capacity, according to Peter Masonis, city spokesman. Social distancing measures such as line control and chair spacing will be in place, he said.

The pools at the Adult Wellness Center will open with limited capacity June 14.

Parrot Island Waterpark in Fort Smith opened May 15 for the weekends, but will resume daily operation today with no covid-19 restrictions. The Creekmore Park pool also will open without restrictions.

EVERYBODY INTO THE POOL Pablo Facio, an inmate with the Benton County Jail work detail, moves lifeguard chairs on Wednesday May 26 2021 at the Rogers Aquatics Center, 1707 S 26th St. The center will open at noon on Tuesday. Hours are noon to 6 p.m. seven days a week, said Kevin Scherer with the aquatics center staff. Adult admission is $12 for Rogers residents and $15 for nonresidents, with reduced costs for children. The center didn't open last pool season because of the coronavirus. It will open with limited capacity guidelines this season, Scherer said. Go to nwaonline.com/210527Daily/ to see more photos. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Flip Putthoff)