Homewood-Flossmoor Park District commissioners unanimously agreed not to open Lions Pool for the summer season.

They called it “a difficult decision” but believe it’s the best decision for guest and staff safety and park operations. 

The Splash Pad at Millennium Park may open, depending on health and safety guidelines. 

“We’re going to separate the pool from the Splash Pad,” said Debbie Kopas, parks executive director. “We’re not throwing in the towel on that one just yet.”

With the summer season fast approaching, commissioners knew they had to make a decision at the May 19 meeting. They looked to Stephanie Simpson, superintendent of recreation, for guidance.

She said she’s listened to several webinars from park organizations and sat in on a discussion conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), but didn’t get any clear answers to her questions.

“Knowing what we know and knowing what we don’t know, we’re at a point where we have to look at the big picture and think about how we would safely open a pool this summer,” she said. “I think it would be difficult just knowing the safety, and as an aspect of recreation it would be really difficult.”

The Illinois Department of Public Health hasn’t provided any written guidelines on how to safely open swimming pools. Simpson said it’s understood social distancing would be necessary and she’s not sure how staff would enforce that. Would swimmers have specific times to enjoy the pool? Would lifeguards need to wear masks? Would swimmers and others on the pool deck be required to wear masks?

The pool was set to open May 30 but Simpson said the park district “is a little behind the 8 ball” on that because staff that would have been working to clean it and get it ready are furloughed. Lifeguards haven’t been hired.

“I’m disappointed, but I totally understand your decision,” said Commissioner Steve Johnson. By agreeing to the pool closure “we are being very prudent in protecting our limited assets to run programs this summer that are going to be able to help the community at a broader level than the pool,” he said.

“I would also argue that as we stand here today, the reality is we’re going to reimagine the park district going forward, in a lot of different ways,” he added.

The park district the H-F community has known is likely to change over the next several years, Johnson said, because COVID-19 pandemic health restrictions, declining revenues from programs and the expected reduction in property taxes. At the same time, the park district will be maintaining its various properties, including the Irwin Center, the H-F Ice Arena, The Clubhouse, Irons Oaks Environmental Learning Center and Coyote Run Golf Course.

Summer camp is also being restructured, Simpson said. 

 

Part 1 will be “Virtually the Best Camp” of games and crafts. Materials will be available for pickup. Campers will attend through a social media platform. That is expected to start June 1.

Depending on when Illinois meets the state’s phase 3 guidelines for reopening, the park district will move to an in-person day camp, but it will be limited to 65 children ages entering first grade to entering fifth grade meeting for a half-day program. Drop-off times will be staggered. Camp will be at Irons Oaks and the Irwin Center.

Campers will be organized into pods with no more than six children and a staff member. Family members will be grouped together, regardless of age, so that the rules of social distancing are easier to work with, Simpson explained.  

Staff will need to go through COVID protocol training on social distancing and how to implement it and proper cleaning procedures.

Final details on Camp 2020 are being worked out and will be available on the park district website at hfparks.com.