ST. LOUIS — Some pools and summer camps will start to open as early as next month, St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson said during her briefing Wednesday.
Summer day camps in St. Louis may begin to open starting on June 1 if guidelines and protocols from the CDC and the American Camp Association are followed.
Some of those guidelines include smaller camp sizes, limiting the number of kids accepted to camps, no field trips, no overnight camps, sanitizing protocols and changes to the pickups and drop-offs to comply with social distancing.
“We want to make sure that kids have productive things to do this summer, as well as having them be safe and the folks that work there," Krewson said.
Not all camps that were scheduled will be able to operate as planned, so parents and caregivers should check with your specific camp for further guidance.
Some pools will also be able to open starting on June 1, Krewson said.
Krewson said a few weeks ago the CDC was advising not to open pools, but now the direction has changed. Apartments and condos will be able to open pools, with some changes. COVID-19 informative signage, regular disinfecting, frequent cleaning of chairs and the use of face coverings in high-traffic areas will be mandated.
The mayor said she doesn't expect city-operated pools to open this summer, due to a current lack of lifeguards on staff. However, Krewson said they are working on it.
Rec centers and gyms in the city will not be allowed to open on June 1.
Krewson said gyms are proving particularly tricky when figuring out how to properly clean to be safe for reopening.
The mayor said both city hall and the DMV will open on June 1 as well, but encouraged people to use city services online when possible.
Courts and courses for non-contact sports will also be able to open on June 1. Krewson said the plans for Forest Park Golf Course are not yet set in place, but that when it does reopen there will likely be a limit of one person per golf cart.
Krewson said she expects large venues such as the Saint Louis Zoo and the Botanical Garden to open around the second week of June, with special guidelines in place.
The Zoo announced it was reopening next month.
RELATED: Saint Louis Zoo to reopen June 13
The mayor also said casinos would be allowed to reopen on June 1, under stipulation from the Missouri Gaming Commission.
You can watch the briefing in this link, or below: