If they take your temperature before entering and you pass that it should be sufficient. When someone passes you while walking, they are doing just that — passing — just as one does when walking anywhere outside.”

Loretta Darling, Sun City resident

IF YOU GO:

What: Recreation Centers of Sun City board meeting

When: 9 a.m. Thursday, May 28

Where: Auditorium at Sundial Recreation Center, 14801 N. 103rd Ave.

Sundial Recreation Center
14801 N. 103rd Ave.
Sun City, AZ
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By Rusty Bradshaw
Twitter: @SunCitiesEditor

Recreation Centers of Sun City facilities began last week a slow process to reopen, but residents met the news with some mixed feelings.

Following a closed door board meeting May 18, RCSC officials announced facilities would begin reopening May 19 under a three-phase plan along the lines of the federal “Opening Up America Again” document. Phase one, while allowing cardholders access to the facilities, prohibits guests or visitors and requires strict physical distancing of at least six feet between persons, and more if available.

Along with the facilities openings, board and committee meetings will be resumed. The board will meet 9 a.m. Thursday, May 28 in the auditorium at Sundial Recreation Center, 14801 N. 103rd Ave. Committee meeting times will be listed on the RCSC website, suncityaz.org.

Resident Loretta Darling was pleased with the reopening, but objected to having to wear a mask while in the walking pools.

“If they take your temperature before entering and you pass that it should be sufficient,” she stated in an email. “When someone passes you while walking, they are doing just that — passing — just as one does when walking anywhere outside.”

Resident Janice Beck was disappointed they are not opening all features of Sun City.

“Who would have thought that golf courses was the only essential activity,” she stated in an email. “We are all adults living in Sun City and we conduct ourselves as such.”

She believes residents do not need to be under supervised direction and being told what they can and cannot do.

“Just because we are elderly doesn’t mean we can’t think for ourselves,” she stated.

Resident Joan Adair, who lives two blocks from Bell Recreation Center, 16820 N. 99th Ave., will not be going to the rec center facilities any time soon.

“Frankly, I will wait at least for two weeks before I venture in the rec facilities and most likely will not exercise in the gym for several months,” she stated in an email. “I definitely feel safe swimming but hesitate doing the walking pool due to the close proximity of others.”

Carol Engberg, a member of the “Water Angels, 12 women who met at the Fairway Recreation Center, 10600 W. Peoria Ave. pool, stated in an email being away from the rec center was difficult for the group.

“We have met at homes, riding bicycles, shopping together, etc. but it isn’t the same as our one-hour walk each day,” she stated in an email. “It not only fulfilled our ‘social’ needs but has helped us maintain healthy bodies.”

She believes RCSC officials could have opened sooner without anyone getting sick.

“It’s fine that we wear masks and stay six feet apart for the time being, but I hope that will soon be changed,” she stated. “Since most members are winter visitors, only six people (Water Angels) are here now and in a couple weeks only three people will remain full-time residents.”

No specific dates are spelled out for phases transitions in the RCSC or federal guidelines. According to the federal guidelines, phase two could start in states and regions with no evidence of a rebound and that satisfy the gating criteria a second time. Phase three could start when there is no evidence of a rebound and that satisfy the gating criteria a third time.

Gating criteria to be satisfied before moving to each phase include a downward trajectory of influenza-like illnesses reported within a 14-day period and a downward trajectory of covid-like syndromic cases reported within a 14-day period and a downward trajectory of documented cases within a 14-day period. An alternative criteria is a downward trajectory of positive tests as a percent of total tests within a 14-day period.

Additionally, hospitals must be treating all patients without crisis care and a robust testing program must be in place for at-risk health care workers, including emerging antibody testing.

Reopened were all indoor and outdoor facilities. Masks will be required in all indoor facilities, excluding Sundial Recreation Center, 14801 N. 103rd Ave., pools and indoor spas. All outdoor facilities, excluding walking pools, do not require face masks. Masks are required for walking pools as there are turn-arounds where walkers cross and it allows faster walkers to safely pass slower walkers, according to the RCSC press release. Use of hand sanitizer required upon entry to all facilities.

Sanitation protocols include sanitization of equipment, tools, workstations, chairs, stools, seating, tables, pens/pencils and anything handled by more than one person prior to use by each cardholder, according to RCSC officials. Cardholders cannot use equipment that is positioned within six feet of another piece of equipment until the adjacent equipment is not in use.

Any activity that does or can cause contact between two people cannot be reopened in phase one, RCSC officials stated.

“Reopening RCSC facilities will require strict adherence to safety and sanitation protocols during these phases developed by the RCSC management team and board of directors specific to the facilities and activities offered here Sun City to ensure the continued well-being of both cardholders and RCSC employees,” RCSC officials stated in the news release.

Visit suncityaz.org for a full list of restrictions and precautions related to the reopening of RCSC facilities.