The City of Galesburg has made the difficult decision that Lakeside Waterpark will remain closed this summer. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been many obstacles related to opening a public waterpark, and after weighing all scenarios and options, City administration ultimately decided that remaining closed for Summer 2020 was the most fiscally and socially responsible decision. Some of the challenges taken into consideration when making this decision included ambiguity up until June 22 of when it would be both safe to open the waterpark and allowed by the State of Illinois, the investment of resources and ability to hire and train staff during the stay at home order in effect this spring, and increased staffing needs to follow health and safety recommendations paired with reduced capacity limits.
“We are very disappointed that we will not be able to open Lakeside Waterpark this summer,” said Tony Oligney-Estill, Director of Parks and Recreation. “We pride ourselves on offering Parks and Recreation amenities to citizens, so this was a very difficult decision to make. We strive to be good stewards of the taxpayers’ dollar and serve the citizens of Galesburg responsibly and knowledgeably and therefore came to the conclusion that the costs to open the waterpark for a such a short period of the summer season remaining when paired with staffing challenges and capacity limits outweighed the potential benefits. We are looking forward to next summer, and hope citizens will utilize many of the other facilities that we’ve been able to open.”
The City has opened Lake Story Beach and Kiwanis Splash Pad. Wading pools at parks throughout the City are in the process of being opened, and playground equipment is once again open for children to enjoy. The lake and walking trails at Lake Storey Park are both open, and boat rentals are available. More information on Parks and Recreational facilities and programs can be found on the City’s website.
***Report Courtesy of the City of Galesburg***
