MESA, Ariz. — It's already hot outside in the triple digits and a lot of us have been cooped up at home. Golfland Sunsplash in Mesa was hoping to help families out this weekend by opening up some of their features, including parts of their water park. But can they open safely with coronavirus concerns?
On Wednesday, the park posted online they'd be reopening with strict social distancing and safety guidelines, including encouraging all guests to wear masks, wiping down attractions regularly and keeping their general swim areas closed. The plan was to open under these limits Friday, May 8.
On Thursday, staff told 12 News they're pressing pause with their plan as they wait on more guidance.
To be clear, if the park moves forward with its reopening plan, there would only be a few slides open, not all of the swimming areas. Their site says that COVID-19 can't survive in properly chlorinated water, and Dr. Frank Lovecchio, an emergency medicine doctor with Valleywise Health, says that's true.
"If you're at a swimming pool and there's chlorine in the pool. Approaches zero the chance of you spreading it."
But Dr. Lovecchio notes that cleaning comes with a caveat.
"Many products will clean it and kill it but you have to wait a certain amount of time. If you clean it with bleach, etc. you just can't touch it right away. You have to give it like 15 or 20 minutes or so."
He adds the best practice for re-opening an amusement park like this would be to ensure social distancing measures are being followed.
The park currently has mini-golf open, but if they move forward with opening other attractions, they'd only be allowed to fill a fraction of their capacity. Staff says they'd max out at about 100 tickets per day, when normally on a summer day they'd sell thousands.
"Opening up a park is somewhat risky," Dr. Lovecchio says. "I could tell you in a year or so when we have a vaccine it might be a lot safer."
For a final decision on reopening, you can check out the Golfland Sunsplash website.
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