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Many Public Pools Staying Closed Despite Being Allowed To Open In Phase 4

COVID-19
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Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois plan allows public pools to open, but some say they’re staying closed.

Summer is here and the temperature is rising, but because of COVID-19, many public pools are still closed.

Under the Illinois Department of Public Health’s new guidelines they can open, but for 50 or fewer swimmers -- and face masks are required when you're not in the pool.

Metropolis Parks and Recreation Director Pris Abell says they see the pool as a public service because the pool operates at a loss.

“It’s not even the money, it’s that the kids who need it the most wouldn’t be able to come, like I said we normally have 200 kids a day there, when we open, we have 250 for the first month.”

Still, with reduced capacity, the pool will remain closed this year. Abell says they spend $3000 on chemicals just to open the pool and up to $8000 for the entire summer.

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