SPRINGDALE, Ark. — Monday (May 18) is the day public pools and water parks can reopen their doors to the public in Arkansas, with strict sanitation and social distancing guidelines.
This time of year, the Jones Center in Springdale would usually be seeing many kids filtering in-and-out of their pools.
"Normally our pools would be bustling with school groups who are visiting, swim meets that are happening," Randi Cruz with the Jones Center said.
Right now, the Jones Center facilities are locked up, and they're choosing not to open pools until the beginning of June. Officials told 5NEWS they still do not feel ready.
"There's a lot that goes into making sure we have the sanitation and cleaning practices in place. So instead of rushing on a decision to open, this gives us a little more time to plan, so people feel safe when they visit our pools," Cruz said.
The Jones Center is only opening up to members-only in efforts to keep capacity at a minimum.
Parrot Island Waterpark in Fort Smith announced it would be reopening on May 23. In preparations this week, lifeguards and staff are going through extra training to enforce strict social distancing guidelines best.
Parrot Island, along with other aquatic centers, will be limiting the number of people who can come inside the park, and how many people can swim in the pools at once.
The City of Alma is still deciding when, or if, they will open the Alma Aquatic Center this summer.
"If we spend the money to open the park, what happens if in two weeks there's another COVID outbreak and we're forced to close down? That's going to add to that money, and we're already at a deficit," Alma Mayor Jerry Martin said.
Mayor Martin told 5NEWS these times are still too unpredictable to open to the public, and officials do not want COVID-19 to infiltrate the park.
"If a person tests positive for COVID-19 and we found out they were here at the water park, do we have to quarantine every employee that worked here that day?"