LOUISVILLE, Ky. — We are in for a hot Fourth of July weekend, and Friday people were beating the heat in the water as Hurricane Bay opened up with safety measures in place.
“I was worried about it and how close everybody was, but being outside helps so I wasn’t quite as concerned,” Jeanne Blazek said.
Blazek and her daughter Elizabeth came to Louisville for the weekend from Indianapolis to meet friends and cool off from the heat.
“The water is really cool, so it’s refreshing,” Elizabeth said.
COVID-19 concerns didn’t stop them or any of the other visitors from making their way to the park on opening day.
“It’s better than being stuck at home,” Steve Rouse said. Rouse and his family came to Kentucky Kingdom for the weekend from Clarksburg, TN.
The CDC said there is no evidence that the virus that causes COVID-19 can spread directly to people from water in pools. Pool chemicals should kill it.
“Between a combination of being outdoors and having treated water we know the water park is a great place to be,” Vice President of Guest Services Jessi O’Daniel said.
But that doesn’t mean you’re in the clear by going to a water park.
COVID-19 is more likely to spread through high-touch surfaces, like lounge chairs, tabletops and slides.
Hurricane Bay is taking extra precautions to wipe down those surfaces and make sure people are distancing.
“We also have extra team members who are assisting our life guards with social distancing to make sure that all of our guests are following all of the policies,” O’Daniel said.
The park has been in contact with industry professionals as well as city and state health officials to make sure the opening is as safe as it can be, as well as a destination for a long weekend.
“We cancelled a trip to go to Arizona because it was a lot more restrictive there, so we just came here for a couple days,” Rouse said.
►Contact reporter Rose McBride at rmcbride@whas11.com or on Facebook or Twitter.