SOLEDAD — Soledad Pool has finally reopened, returning to in-person activities hosted by Soledad-Mission Recreation District.
The pool is currently operating at 50% capacity for a short period as the district gets new staff acquainted with operations and to keep crowds manageable.
Executive Director Frances Bengtson said residents were anxious and there were many crying children as they either went into a pool for the first time or just dealt with being around groups of people again. She said the pool reopening was like a community reassurance.
“It’s been a difficult prior year,” Bengtson said. “The kids being able to see our faces has been so important. There’s such a need to be around other people and to feel understood.”
She explained that not only patrons but also staff have expressed a want to know someone cares about their wellness.
This plays into the district’s summer theme of “Come Find Your Happy Again.” The aim is to reduce the tension and anxiety people have felt for more than a year during the Covid-19 pandemic shutdowns.
Bengtson said the swimming lessons have remained popular as always, as well as recreational swims. The district oversees non-aquatic programs, which will return in the coming weeks.
Art therapy, day camps and movies in the park remain on the roster. Martial arts are ongoing, but new offerings will include parkour and Capoeira.
“It’s such a cool program with the mix of dancing and martial arts and the Brazilian culture,” Bengtson said about the Capoeira program, expected within the next week or two.
The first of the Movies in the Park nights was June 25, when Disney’s “Raya and the Last Dragon” will be projected onto the side of the pool building. The upcoming movie on July 9 was still up for vote between three other Disney films.
The June 15 opening was the first opportunity for new lifeguards to enforce rules and protect patrons at the pool, since they had only attended trainings before that time.
The pool has 26 staff members, with eight returning. Bengtson noted pool employees usually stay for three years tops, but the pandemic shutdowns caused some staff to not return due to having a year of downtime away from activities.
