Longmont Rec Center, Centennial Pool reopening by reservation

Longmont residents can return to the recreation center and city pools — by reservation — starting next week.

In a news release emailed Friday morning and posted to the city website, the city announced the Longmont Recreation Center and Centennial Pool will reopen Monday on a reservation-only basis. The reopening is in line with the statewide safer-at-home order, according to the city, which stated it consulted with Boulder County Public Health prior to making the decision.

The reopenings are just two of more to come, according to the city.

“Management and staff are working daily on phased reopening plans for additional recreation facilities, and we look forward to welcoming patrons back to Sunset Pool on … June 22 with other facilities to follow,” the city stated.

Patrons returning to the rec center and Centennial Pool next week will be asked to follow general COVID-19 best practices, including wearing face covering and maintaining social distance.

"We've been working hard to bring folks as many classes and activities as we can on YouTube and Facebook, and we're delighted to be able to welcome our residents back in the safest manner possible," Recreation Manager Jeff Friesner stated in the release.

Preparations being made to welcome guests back include increased sanitation and cleaning practices, installing signage, filling pools and additional staff training, according to the city.

To use the Recreation Center and Centennial Pool, patrons will be asked to reserve and pay online in advance for one-hour time slots. The initial reopening phase will have limited hours and reservations, according to the city, and if all reservation slots are full, patrons are encouraged to get on a waitlist.

The Recreation Center will have reservations for lap and fitness swimming, adult swim times, and open swim times when the slides and diving boards will be available. Recreation Center leisure pool swims will be open to all ages.

Centennial Pool will have reservations for lap and fitness swimming. Visit the pool webpage to see the full schedule of programs.

Online reservations can be made up to seven days in advance for an hour for everything but open swim, which will be available in 1.75-hour blocks for the Recreation Center pool.

Reservations can be made starting at noon Friday. Reservations can be canceled up to 12 hours prior by calling the Recreation Center at 303-774-4800, but cannot be canceled online.

Guests are asked to arrive no earlier than five minutes prior to their reservations, to enter through the front doors and to check in at the Recreation Center front desk. Traffic will flow in one direction entering through the front doors and exiting from a different set of doors, according to the city.

Locker room restroom and showers will be for swimmer use only. No lockers will be available and cabanas and individual rooms will not be available, the city stated. Towel service will not be available.

Hot tub, sauna and steam rooms also will remain closed.

Pool users are asked to bring their own equipment (kick boards, swim aids, etc.).

Water fountains will be closed and patrons are asked to bring their own water bottles and to exit the facility at the end of their workouts.

Boulder County Public Health guidelines for gyms, pools, and athletics fields are extensive, the city stated. The full list of guidelines, restrictions, and FAQs are posted at Recreation COVID FAQ page.

General guidelines include:

• Those who symptomatic, who don’t feel well, have been around someone who tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 14 days, or are in a vulnerable population (older adults and those with underlying health conditions) are asked to stay home.

• Patrons are asked to follow COVID best practices including frequently washing their hands; wearing face coverings unless swimming; refraining from touching their faces; maintaining 6 feet of distance from others; and not gathering in groups of 10 or more.

• Fitness areas will be available to teens and adults ages 16 and older. No babysitting is available at this time.

• For each reservation, pool and center users can pay the drop-in rate or use applicable recreation passes. Passes will need to be scanned when patrons arrive.Thirty day, three-month and annual passes have been extended to reflect the duration access was restricted because of COVID-19, according to the city.

• Each family member is limited to three reservations per week, per reservation type.

For more information about Longmont Recreation, visit longmontcolorado.gov/rec.