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Patrons reacting well to pool restrictions

Cleaning protocols and social distancing rules in place
mvt AquaFit Didsbury-5
Patrons participate in an AquaFit session in the Didsbury Aquatic Centre. Doug Collie/MVP Staff

DIDSBURY — Residents are adapting well to the new rules at the Didsbury Aquatic Centre, according to customer service representative Tanya Downs.

The pool reopened July 13 after the COVID-19 lockdown.

However, things are not the same as before the pandemic began.

Swimmers can no longer just show up and expect to get into the facility. They have to book ahead and follow social distancing rules once they get there.

Swim times are allocated in one-hour blocks, half an hour apart to allow time for the facility to be cleaned between each session.

Downs expects those rules to remain in place until at least Phase 3 “if not beyond” of the province’s pandemic recovery plan.

During an interview, Downs predicted it may be months before those restrictions are lifted.

Meanwhile, she said, patrons have accepted the new restrictions pretty well.

“They’ve been very, very good,” she said.

“Everyone who’s come in has been very grateful for the measures we’re taking. And they’re just grateful that they can get back in the pool and get some sense of normality back to their lives.”

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