AVON, Ohio — Akron Mayor Daniel Horrigan can’t wait to help his community get back to something close to normal.
"Kids are feeling pressure, the community is feeling pressure, how about a break from some of that?” Horrigan said.
He says he’ll be opening Akron’s pools and splash pads this summer.
"Hopefully a kind of a slower opening around the middle of June and then hopefully a bigger opening around July 1, that’s given all the safety and the data and the protocols we’ve been following so far,” said the mayor.
Horrigan says they will implement new safety measures in line with state requirements. Although, he says, they don’t have a concrete plan yet. They will likely have smaller occupancies, give patrons the ability to pay online, and of course have improved cleaning protocols. He says the community needs their pools.
"Kids need a place to go, especially when it’s hot and especially in the inner city, they need a place to go,” said Horrigan.
Governor Mike DeWine gave the go-ahead Thursday for community pools to open May 26, but that does not mean all of them have to.
"How you’re going to tell kids not to run around, not to intermingle with each other and keep the social distancing we think is going to be impossible,” said Avon Mayor Bryan Jensen.
Jensen says their pool will stay closed for the season after meeting with doctors and other health officials.
"If it was in the chlorine, it would die. But the fear is everything ancillary around there,” he said. "Whether its the chairs, whether its even the decking, the bathrooms or even within the concession stands. If I open the pool, I’m saying to the public that I think it's safe for their children to be there, I think it's safe for our employees to be there, at this point right now, I just can’t assure people that it’s safe.”
Jensen says while he knows some families are frustrated, he has gotten positive feedback for his choice.
"I think I can tell you, the majority of people are for it,” said Jensen. "I think they believe that the virus is real and that its dangerous.”
