Water park set to open June 5 with restrictions due to COVID-19 threat

County, R-2 district residency required, daily attendance numbers will be limited

By Dave Marner, Managing Editor
Posted 5/20/20

Owensville’s Winter Water Park is scheduled to open June 5 with restrictions on the number of swimmers permitted daily their residency. Parents will also be required to sign waivers of …

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Water park set to open June 5 with restrictions due to COVID-19 threat

County, R-2 district residency required, daily attendance numbers will be limited

Posted

Owensville’s Winter Water Park is scheduled to open June 5 with restrictions on the number of swimmers permitted daily their residency. Parents will also be required to sign waivers of liability in case their children contract the COVID-19 virus.

Owensville’s Board of Aldermen on Monday unanimously approved a motion opening the facility with the requirement that public swimming be limited to residents of Gasconade County or the Gasconade County R-2 School District. There will be no season passes this year but a value card will be available.

Parents and guardians should be prepared to provide proof of residency.

Daily limits will be restricted to a percentage of the normal capacity and will increase monthly through the shortened season. For June, that figure is 25 percent so up to 95 swimmers will be allowed in the facility at one time. That number increases to 33 percent in July or 124 swimmers. The rate for August and September increases to 50 percent or up to 188 visitors at once.

Once the maximum daily number is reached, pool staff will admit one person for every person who leaves. If you step out to retrieve an item from your vehicle, you must obtain a hand stamp to reenter as a counted guest or you will need to wait until someone leaves.

Swim lessons will not be offered this summer but pool rentals for private parties will. Residents from outside the county and the R-2 school district will be allowed to rent the facility. The limits on swimmers will apply to rental parties based on when it a party is scheduled.

WWP staff will keep a “daily waiver and hold harmless form and log sheet,” according to guidelines presented by Angela Lairmore, parks and recreation director. It will include “risk language” including warnings on mandated social distancing regulations.

This form must be completed by a parent or guardian. Adults will be asked a series of questions regarding the health of members of their party and will be required to sign the hold harmless agreement.

All children age 11 to 17 must be accompanied by an adult (18 or older) to the admission window to answer questions and sign daily waiver/log sheet for minors.

All children 10 and under must be supervised by an adult (18 or older) at all times while in the facility which is part of the water park’s original rules.

Lairmore and the elected officials discussed the proposed regulations governing pool operations in the coronavirus era for nearly 40 minutes with the city’s attorney, Ed Sluys. He soothed concerns aldermen had noting Lairmore could adjust the policy guidelines if enforcement of coronavirus mandates from the county or state became stricter should there be an outbreak locally.

He said he was working with Lairmore to finalized the log in and liability waiver sheet which will be required for each adult to sign on behalf of minor children.

Signs posted around the facility, said Sluys, will cover the city as best as it can be covered.

“You attend at your own risk,” said Sluys.

He noted the county was aware of the city’s plan and had even asked to see a copy of what the final document becomes. Lairmore noted she had sought out advice from professional pool maintenance and management operations for “COVID risk language” to use in the city’s policy.

Lairmore said an emergency action plan was being written up for staff to know how to deal with a case of someone who suddenly appears sick once they’ve entered the facility. Sluys told aldermen to “follow the health department recommendations” like Lairmore has presented.

All five Parks Commission members had approved the opening during a May 12 special session. All five elected officials had attended the same meeting.