Orem recreation activities picking up as restrictions ease
Shae Orme, 9, of Saratoga Springs, makes her way down the slide during an open plunge at the Scera Park Pool on Tuesday, June 2, 2020, in Orem. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
Tammy Curletto, of Orem, relaxes with a pool noodle during an open plunge at the Scera Park Pool on Tuesday, June 2, 2020, in Orem. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
Connor Knudsen, 13, of Orem, dives into the water after jumping from the diving board during an open plunge at the Scera Park Pool on Tuesday, June 2, 2020, in Orem. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
Alai Kalaniuvalu, 14, of Orem, creates a splash after speeding down the slide during an open plunge at the Scera Park Pool on Tuesday, June 2, 2020, in Orem. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
A swimmer makes her way down the slide during an open plunge at the Scera Park Pool on Tuesday, June 2, 2020, in Orem. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
Riley Olenik, 12, of Orem, creates a splash after speeding down the slide during an open plunge at the Scera Park Pool on Tuesday, June 2, 2020, in Orem. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
Moving from orange (moderate-risk phase) to yellow (low-risk phase) during the COVID-19 crisis has allowed Orem residents to go outside and play.
Two weeks ago, Gov. Gary Herbert announced the change during his weekly news conference. The Orem Recreation Department had a plan ready to go to help residents get back to the pool, the ballparks and the fields.
“Our numbers are down but we’re still going strong,” Orem Recreation Director Karl Hirst said. “The senior center, which is where we moved the gym when work started on the new fitness center, we’ll open that back up when we go to green. Other than that, we’re up and running. We do it with a lot more cleaning and a lot more disinfecting. We talk with people all the time and are encouraging them to take personal responsibility for their safety and the safety of others.
“What I’m hearing is that everybody is ready to explode and looking for the opportunity to play. We’re looking to provide as safe of an opportunity as we can.”
Adult softball and youth tee ball have opened up with restrictions.
“We’ve gotten the players out of the dugouts and the fans out of the bleachers to gather around the field,” Hirst said. “We disinfect the softballs when we start. We give each team a ball when they are playing defense and handling the ball. That ball is theirs to disinfect and treat how they want so they never touch the other team’s ball.”
Hirst said adult softball is a barometer for participation in Orem recreation sports.
“We usually have 140 teams in our adult leagues and we’re down around 120,” he said. “Our swim team is usually about 150 per session. The second session is in July and we figure it will fill up. With swimming lessons, the first session is normally very slow. We have around 100 people signed up right now but our second session is usually significantly higher.”
Orem youth sports such as soccer and baseball are run by nonprofit parent or state organizations. Hirst said Orem youth baseball started on Monday.
“When we were in orange, soccer could hold practices and drills,” he said. “With yellow they can do games. The statewide organization for soccer has submitted their own plan for social distancing to us. They are disinfecting and asking the fans to sit apart on the sidelines.”
The other concession is that sunflower seeds have been banned from the baseball games.
“That’s a few hundred less hand-to-mouth movements during the game,” Hirst said.
The Scera Pool is open with a maximum of 400 people allowed in the facility. The standard is normally 1,200. Hirst said he thinks the pool will move to 500 maximum patrons soon.
“We’re monitoring it to see how things are going,” he said. “We’ve been told that in the pool there is not much of a possibility of infection due to the chlorine and the way people breathe. The deck is the big concern. There are no deck chairs so if people want them they can bring their own.”
Hirst said the Orem Rec Center construction is still on schedule and is planned to occupy the building by January of 2021. The pools were scheduled to re-open in May but that date has been pushed back to August.
“We have fast tracked the men’s and women’s locker rooms and pools,” Hirst said. “They will be open for the high school swim season next fall. The building is looking very good and things are coming together nicely. Our team works together very well. We couldn’t be happier with our contractor (Big D) and our architect (Method Studio).”
Hirst said the recreation department knew it was going to be shut down for a year and half during construction of the new rec center and none of the full-time staff had to be laid off or furloughed. Part-time employees have been asked to come back with activities resuming.
“At first, we were worried they wouldn’t come back,” he said, “but we’re getting more guards, swimming instructors and umpires back. I think people are feeling more comfortable.”
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