BROOKLINE, MA— The pool’s back.
The town pool has been closed for months, like many other things amid pandemic. But, on Oct. 5, Brookline’s Evelyn Kirrane Aquatics Center is set to reopen, albeit gradually.
Pool staff are still just getting their toes wet when it comes to new pandemic protocols, so to begin, the pool will only be open for limited hours.
The aquatics center will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and from 9:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday for the foreseeable future, according to Recreation Director Leigh Jackson.
Those who want to swim need to make reservations for 45 minute swimming blocks ahead of time using Brookline Recreation’s new online registration system, “SmartRec.” In order to use the system, you have to first create an account here.
Pool areas will be individually reserved, and guests can reserve lanes, segments of the diving well and lesson pool or the entire diving well or lesson pool. Lanes will be restricted to one person at a time, and the lesson pool and dive well will be restricted to no groups of up to eight from the same household.
“This is going to be an adjustment for all of us as we get used to our temporary new normal and continue our efforts to re-open our recreation facilities,” Jackson said. “I ask that all guests be mindful of the challenges we’re all facing due to COVID-19 and exercise patience with staff as we navigate this re-opening together.”
In addition to increased daily cleaning procedures, the coronavirus has meant that locker rooms are closed, and family changing rooms are open only for toilet and sink use for the foreseeable future. It also means the diving board and bleachers are closed and swimmers are no longer permitted to share the center’s equipment (though they are allowed to bring their own).
For more information about the EKAC, visit Brooklinerec.com or BrooklineCOVID19.com/EKAC.
This article originally appeared on the Brookline Patch