The basketball courts at the Arnold Recreation Center reopened at 5:30 a.m. today (March 2).
The city had reopened the rec center, 1695 Missouri State Road, on Feb. 22, after it had been closed since Nov. 18 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, when the rec center reopened, the basketball courts were not available for use because of concerns about participants not being able to wear masks or maintain social distancing and the possibility of spreading the virus. However, because the number of positive COVID-19 cases have been declining in the county, City Administrator Bryan Richison said it was decided to allow people to use the courts again.
“It is two full-size courts, so there is room for people to spread out,” Richison said. “If the number of positive COVID cases rises in the county again or there are other problems, we will re-evaluate the situation.”
The county is in the orange status on the Jefferson County Health Department’s COVID-19 warning system, the second highest level on the four-color system. The orange status indicates widespread but controlled transmission of the coronavirus.
The city requires people to wear masks while they’re in the rec center, but they may remove their masks while working out.
Along with the basketball courts being open, the city reopened the indoor pool on Feb. 25. The pool had been closed for the first three days after the rec center reopened because a circulation pump had to be replaced, city officials said.
