Okotoks rec facilities opening this week

For the first time in four months, families flocked to the Okotoks Recreation Centre on July 6.

With warm temperatures and Alberta Health Services approvals all in place, the spray park re-opened with restrictions in place like limiting the number of patrons to 100 at a time a one-hour time limit for water fun, in order to allow as many residents as possible to cool off and enjoy the popular summer activity.

“We had it ready to go for Canada Day, but the weather didn’t co-operate with us last week,” said Susan Laurin, Okotoks director of community services.

The spray park only runs when the temperature reaches 21 degrees Celsius, she said.

This year, visitors are asked to change before arriving at the park, as the washroom and changing facilities are closed.

The Town also opened its arenas July 6, though there is no public skating.

“If you register for a hockey camp or through Okotoks Minor Hockey, we have the arenas open for them,” said Laurin.

Skaters are asked to arrive in their gear, as locker rooms will not be available. There are benches inside the arenas where participants can lace their skates, and after one group has left the bench area will be disinfected prior to the next wave of skaters entering the rink, she said.

“We’re just doing whatever we can to make sure everyone is safe,” said Laurin.

She said the most exciting part of the rec centre re-opening is the pool, which is set to open, with limitations, on July 7.

“It’s going to look and feel very different,” said Laurin.

There will be three ways to enjoy the pool – aquasize classes, lane swim, and cohort group swims – and each must be pre-booked online, she said.

The cohort group swim is a new way to public swim and can be booked for about an hour at a time, she said.

“You can book out sections of the pool, so you can have the shallow end at Swindells or the deep end at Swindells, and you can being your family and cohort family and enjoy it that way rather than traditional public swimming,” said Laurin. “And we’ve made those rates affordable, about the same price as what you would pay for a family to swim.

“We just want people to be able to enjoy the pool.”

Aquasize and lane swim will no longer be available by drop-in, and Laurin said she recommends booking early (pre-booking may be done seven days in advance) to secure spots in classes, which may fill quickly with limited participation.

For all swimming activities, participants are asked to come dressed and leave without changing afterwards, as locker rooms will not be open, she said.

The Town is considering offering private or cohort swim lessons in August, she said, depending on how the re-opening of recreation facilities goes.

“It’s exciting, especially as the weather gets nice, that you can get in and go for a swim or be out at the spray park,” said Laurin.

To pre-book activities in the Okotoks Recreation Centre, visit www.ActiveOkotoks.ca.

Krista Conrad, OkotoksToday.ca

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