Gulf Park Recreation Association
COVID-19 Members Policy
for Phase Two (May-June 2020)
We ask for your patience as we strive to provide you with a fun and safe summer in these unprecedented times.
Per the guidelines from the Knox County Health Department (KCHD) and the CDC, the virus is not transmitted in chlorinated pools, but of course risk of transmission of COVID-19 exists in any gathering outside the pool. KCHD advises that anyone visiting area pools should stay together with your household and maintain social distancing from others. Masks are encouraged if social distancing cannot be maintained.
KCHD did not set a maximum occupancy, but we must be sure that we have adequate space for social distancing for our families. Fortunately, our pool and grounds are very large and will accommodate many families at once. We ask that our members limit their number of consecutive hours on the pool deck and be considerate of others’ space. If occupancy becomes an issue, we will reassess additional means to handle it.
We are implementing the following changes during Phase 2 of Knox County’s reopening plan:
- We’ve contracted with a local pool professional to verify the safety of our water throughout the summer.
- We’ve staggered our swim practice and swim lesson groups to avoid overlap of multiple programs in the water at once.
- All members and guests are required to park in the Pensacola lot and enter through the main gate. Only staff and board members can park in the Cedar Bluff lot.
- All members and guests are required to sign in with contact info and in/out times to support contact tracing records. Please be sure to maintain social distancing at check-in.
- Members are encouraged to bring their own chairs or wipe down pool chairs before and after use.
- We will have cleaning stations and social distance markings available to assist you.
- Our staff will have a cleaning schedule to wipe down shared surfaces and reserve the right to call all out or adult swim to have uninterrupted time for these tasks.
- Individual floats are allowed, but no oversized or shared floats.
- The playground is not open per KCHD rules, but families are welcome to set up their chairs in the grass for more distance from others.
- Concessions will only sell items that are individually wrapped and that do not need to be unwrapped by staff in order to prepare and serve.
- No ice for consumption will be available from the concession stand.
- Please be sure to pick up all of your trash and belongings when you leave the pool.
- There will be no lost and found, lost items will be discarded each Friday at closing.
- Swim lessons and coaching will be non-contact, see gulfpark.swimtopia.com for details.
- Employees only are allowed in the concession stand, only one employee at a time.
- Employees will be required to sign in and self report any exposure each day.
In addition, members or guests should not come to the pool if:
(a) he/she has been told to quarantine/isolate by a health care provider or the health department,
(b) he/she has had face-to-face contact for 10 or more minutes with someone who has COVID-19, or
(c) he/she is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19.
Please remember that the safety of your children at any pool is your responsibility.
Gulf Park Pool operates as a “swim at your own risk” facility. An employee will always be on duty during open hours, but there is not always a lifeguard in the chair overseeing the water. Please be sure that your family has a designated person “On Water Watch” when your children are in the water.
Our board and staff have spent long hours planning for the best way to serve our community and ask for your cooperation for a fun and safe summer.
These policies are subject to change if we receive additional guidance from Knox County Health Department or if issues arise that we need to address.
