Today, Colorado will finalize its guidelines for pools to reopen – and the draft guidelines suggest pools could begin opening immediately at 50% capacity.
Colorado is currently in Level 2 of its COVID-19 response plan. That step is titled “Safe at Home,” and the state still strongly advises residents to stay at home. Previously, the state was under Level 1 of its plan, titled “Stay at Home,” in which residents were required to stay home outside of essential activities.
In-person dining at restaurants reopened on May 27, and children’s summer camps opened June 1. The state has been working through a draft of guidelines for more businesses to open, and today (Thursday, June 4) is the date those guidelines should be officially announced and go into effect.
KDVR News reports that a draft of those guidelines would allow pools to reopen at 50% capacity or up to 50 people, whichever is fewer. That reopening is also subject to ongoing social distancing rules, with a reservation system suggested. Some of these guidelines could change in the final guidelines, which should be published today, effectively immediately upon their publication.
The new guidelines should also allow places of worship to reopen with certain restrictions, as well as child care facilities and other personal service businesses.
Update: the official guidelines are 25% capacity or 50 people, whichever is fewer.
Fruita, 20 miles west of Grand Junction, opened their city indoor pool on Monday. You register for a time slot online beginning at the top of each hour. One person per lane for a maximum of 5 people. You have 45 minutes to swim, and then lifeguards disinfect all touch points before the next group comes in at the top of the hour. Only lap swimming for now. Their outdoor pool will open mid-June. Grand Junction announced this week that its outdoor pool will not open until the 4th of July weekend. The city’s indoor pool remains closed.
Sounds good there, same structure as we have in Florida for the most part. I would expect for remote places and smaller towns to open first. Outdoor pools are great particularly at this time of year
The limiting factor here will be 50 people. According to the calculation of about 20 square feet per person, a 25-yard, 4-lane pool has a capacity of about 100 people, so even the smallest lap pool will hit the limit of 50.