BOISE, Idaho — Warmer weather in late spring and summer typically draws big crowds at public pools and ponds around the Treasure Valley.
Most years, that's not a major problem, but efforts to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus make this year different.
Even before Idaho's stay-home order expired Friday morning, Boise parks, including Quinn's Pond and Esther Simplot Park, were open -- with some restrictions and reminders for visitors to practice social distancing, staying six feet apart from other people.
As the City of Boise moves into the first phase of its reopening plan, officials have decided to keep pools closed through 2020, but ponds will remain open, at least as long as visitors keep their distance from each other.
"We're just asking people to be safe and smart about the group gatherings," said Doug Holloway, director of Boise Parks and Recreation.
Mayor Lauren McLean on Thursday signed public health orders calling for continued social distancing through the month of May. She announced those orders as she also thanked the people of Boise for making sacrifices to slow the spread of COVID-19.
However, city officials are also aware that, this week, the ponds and the areas around them have drawn large crowds.
"With the one nice day we did have this week, we did have some issues with some of our users down at the Quinn's beach area. We weren't able to have that distancing part that we are required to have," Holloway said. "So we do have a couple of park rangers that we're going to be bringing on board that are going to spend a lot of time reminding people of that social distancing."
To promote compliance with social distancing, the city is relying on education rather than enforcement actions, and hopes to maintain that approach going forward.
Many employees of the Boise Parks and Recreation Dept. are acting as what Holloway calls "ambassadors" in the parks, on the Greenbelt and on trails in the Boise Foothills.
"We call them ambassadors and educators because they're just really there to visit with folks to talk about that distancing opportunities and to answer any questions people may have," Holloway said. "They're not there to create any uncomfortable situations with our citizens. If they see a group gather, they're asking them to separate. And if they see a larger group together, they're asking they observe that ten or fewer in any one group."
However, if city leaders find that those educational conversations aren't working, they may take other steps to enforce social distancing.
"I think the mayor has made it very clear, on a number of occasions, that if we can't continue to keep that distancing that there might be some other action that the city may take, up to and including either closing other facilities or park locations, or starting a little bit more of an enforcement process," Holloway said.
The wave at Whitewater Park is set to reopen in the first phase of the city's reopening plan, which took effect on May 1; so does Warm Springs Golf Course, with some restrictions.
The other city-owned golf course, Quail Hollow, is set to partially reopen during the second phase, along with the Bike Skills Park near Fort Boise and "core park restrooms."
Dog parks will reopen, in full, during the second phase.
Playgrounds at Boise parks will not open until the third stage, probably some time in June at the earliest. The concern there is that the coronavirus may be spread among those who touch and play on the equipment. Tennis and pickleball courts will also remain closed until the third stage.
More details of the phased reopening are posted and linked on the City of Boise's coronavirus information page.
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