SPOKANE, Wash. — Previously closed splash pads will soon reopen, the City of Spokane said on Wednesday afternoon. After KREM 2's coverage of only one out of the City's 17 water fixtures open, Washington state gave word that guidelines are now changed.
The Washington Department of Health (DOH) eased their restrictions for splash pads last week, but didn't inform Spokane until Wednesday, according to Parks and Recreation spokesperson Fianna Dickson. Before the guidelines changed, each splash pad needed to have a staff monitor.
"We were all surprised and grateful!" Dickson said.
Finding out about the guideline change late wouldn't have changed too much, she said. They wouldn't have been able to open the pads for this week with Memorial Day weekend.
Spokane is officially under a Heat Advisory starting Tuesday, with temperatures climbing into the 90s for the rest of the week. With the hot weather, the City is put in a difficult position. Community members who had previously wanted to enjoy our aquatic features found themselves staring at a dry splash pad or an empty pool.
There are 17 splash pads in Spokane. These water fixtures provide a fun relief from the hot sun. Unfortunately, only the Glacial Dam splash pad at Riverfront Park's North Bank is currently working. Parks and Recreation said this will change soon.
There no longer has to be someone onsite enforcing COVID-19 safety regulations but the City will still ask people to stay distant from those outside their household.
"We're very excited by the news," Dickson said.
When the city is struggling to find enough people to do lifeguarding, swim instruction, park operations and splash pad watch, one of the features had to take a backseat. In this case, it was the splash pads. Spokane's Parks and Recreation department said they know how badly people want to use the fixtures but under previous restrictions, they physically couldn't. Low staffing is the culprit here, according Dickson. Due to an employee shortage in numerous other areas within the Parks, adding 16 additional onsite monitors was a giant task. Now, with updated guidance, the splash pads are able to move forward.
"We just wish it was as simple as turning a switch, but it's more complex and will take us a little time," she added.
They currently have a staff member working to open the irrigation lines for all of the splash pads. They don't have an exact timeline yet, but mid-June may be the best estimate for all of them to be open, she said. They are looking into doing a phased rollout, where they turn individual splash pads on as soon as they are ready. The City has also put together a COVID-19 plan for the DOH and Spokane Regional Health District (SRHD) to review.
The city is also working on getting the pools open this summer. Pools should be opening for lessons around mid-June and for free open swimming in mid-July.
There is a double win, though. There are so many opportunities to get a job this summer, while also helping the community stay safe and cool. Anyone 15 years of age and older can apply for jobs with the Parks. They are looking for facility maintenance workers, facility managers, assistant facility managers, head lifeguards, swim instructors, assistant swim coaches, lifeguards, and aquatic aids. Depending on the job, the pay is between $13.69 and $17 an hour. For more information, contact Spokane Aquatics at aquatics@spokanecity.org or call at 509-625-6960.
They are also looking for custodian roles to help take care and clean the Parks. You must be 18 for this role, as it requires operating trucks. The pay is between $15-18 hourly.