Operations at the Hermiston Family Aquatic Center look different this year thanks to the pandemic, but recreation supervisor Brandon Artz says things are going “pretty well” so far.

“We’ve gotten into a new, good routine, so things are pretty efficient to get you checked in and into the pool as soon as possible,” he said.

Inside the confines of the aquatic center, lifeguards wear masks and patrons wear colored wristbands that match the people they came in with. The plan had originally been to divide people into zones, but Artz said they’re letting people have the run of the pool as long as they stick with the unit of people they came in with and don’t get within 6 feet of someone with a different colored wristband.

“We are required to have a social distance monitor, but people have been pretty good about staying apart on their own,” he said.

They started with opening the main, rectangular pool for playing and lap swimming, but on Wednesday, July 8, they plan to open up the multi-use pool with the lazy river as well. That pool includes water slides and fountains, but Artz said they are still waiting to get clarification from the county health department on whether turning those on would classify the pool as a “water park,” which is not allowed under Phase 2.

To help maintain cleaning and social distancing protocols, swimming is by reservation only, in 90-minute segments.

Artz said, so far, there have been openings left every day.

The online reservation system, available at bit.ly/hermistonaquatics, doesn’t allow same-day reservations, but Artz said if online reservations are already closed for the day people can still call and make an appointment for later that same day.

He said they are excited to be open, and so far most swimmers have expressed appreciation instead of frustration at the new rules designed to help protect them from COVID-19.