Summer’s here and WA is reopened. Here’s what to expect if you visit swimming spots, zoo

With summer so far bringing a triple-digit heat wave and the full reopening of Washington state, many Pierce County residents are leaving their homes behind for what’s outdoors.

Some parks and swimming locations in Pierce County are reporting larger crowds since reopening — albeit still smaller than pre-pandemic times — while others have seen a down tick in visitors since the heat wave.

On June 26, more than 1,000 people flocked to American Lake Park to find relief from the heat. The large crowds, in addition to a fatal shooting that took place the same day, led to the temporary closure of the park and the city of Lakewood reminding visitors to abide by all the park rules.

Since the park’s reopening and temperatures falling back into double digits, Lakewood communications manager Jim Kopriva said in an email, crowds at American Lake Park have diminished. The city also reopened Harry Todd Park, which is another spot offering lakefront recreation.

“Crowds at both waterfront parks have been pleasant since that reopening,” Kopriva said in an email.

Police presence at parks have increased as a result of crowds, Kopriva said in an email. Lakewood’s parks continue to follow state guidance, and additional visitor safety measures are being discussed following the surge earlier this summer.

Similar to Lakewood’s reopening of Harry Todd Park, Tacoma’s Kandle and Stewart Heights pools reopened July 1 and July 2. Only indoor pools were available during the heat wave, resulting in a longer waiting list, and the reopening of outdoor pools has been met with high interest.

“Our outdoor pools are reaching capacity on the hot days, which is pretty exciting,” said Jan Bretana, aquatics program and facilities supervisor.

Due to lifeguard shortages, Kandle Pool is only open Monday, Friday and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Stewart Heights Pool is open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. for recreational swim, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. for recreational swim and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. exclusively on Tuesday and Thursday for lap swim.

Kandle Pool has a maximum capacity of 600 people, and Stewart Heights Pool has a maximum capacity of 500 people, Bretana said.

Since only one pool is open per day due to the lifeguard shortage, Bretana said there have been some instances where people have been turned away. Those who have been to the pools, however, have been enjoying themselves.

“There doesn’t seem to be any apprehension, you know, from folks to come and mingle and have fun in the water,” Bretana said. “That’s really exciting to see that because it’s been such a long drought.”

Bretana said the pools are following specific Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for pools. Anyone can come to the pools regardless of vaccination status.

Aside from lakefront parks and pools, parks and other outdoor amenities can now operate at full capacity. At Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, all visitors aside from park members still need to purchase timed tickets online. Members can enter the zoo at any point in the day without reservation, said Alan Varsik, director of the zoo.

The heat wave repelled visitors in the afternoon June 28, and the zoo closed early as a result. Varsik said attendance numbers have been up ever since reopening. While June 28 saw roughly about 800 visitors at the zoo, there are now nearly 4,000 visitors each weekend ever since the state reopened.

“We haven’t seen numbers like that since before the pandemic,” Varsik said.

Varsik said the timed tickets have helped the zoo spread out visitors through the day and avoid big surges in crowds. He expects this trend to continue throughout the summer.

Feedback indicates visitors feel their experiences at the zoo have been safe. The zoo continues to encourage non-vaccinated people to wear a mask in indoor areas, including children who are older than 5.

“I think our animals are happy that our guests are back, and certainly we’re very happy to be able to share their stories again with our audience,” Varsik said.

This story was originally published July 17, 2021 at 5:00 AM.