The CAR Pool is set to open for the 2021 season on June 5.

In the wake of the Warren City Council’s decision to override the decision of city staff and require the facility to open for the season, details are falling into place on what that will look like.

City Manager Nancy Freenock said city staff have met with Thad Turner and Dani Mumford with the Warren YMCA, the entity that handles the day-to-day operation of the facility.

“Admittance will be on a first-come, first-serve basis,” Freenock said. “Although City taxpayers cover the cost of operating the pool, the City cannot limit attendance only to City residents due to the investment of DCNR (state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources) funds in the facility.”

The occupancy limit for the pool is 311 people and current guidelines permit 75 percent occupancy for community pools, making the CAR pool’s maximum capacity 233 people.

“Anyone that enters the facility is counted as a swimmer, regardless of whether they intend to swim or not,” Freenock said. “This is done for safety reasons.” So, as of now, the pool complex can host 233 individuals.

Staff at the pool will not be enforcing COVID-19 mitigation measures.

“The job of the guards is to safeguard those in the water. It is not to enforce social distancing or mask wearing,” Freenock said. “Masks will be available at the check-in desk. The City will post signs regarding, but it will be up to the facility users to abide by the COVID guidelines.”

Concessions will be offered in individually wrapped packages, and additional staff will be hired to address cleaning issues.

“Chairs have not been provided for the past several years because they get damaged due to misuse,” Freenock said. “Patrons have been bringing their own chairs and there are no plans to change that practice.”

The pool is set to open on Saturday, June 5, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. The following week — the last week of school — the pool will be scheduled open from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. For the rest of the season — set to run through August 15 — the pool will be open daily 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Freenock said no night swims are planned as “the Y informed us that very few people partake in night swim and it is not economically feasible to offer.”

Private parties will instead be available in the evenings and the Y, Freenock said, intends to host one movie night and determine from attendance whether to offer more. The doggy dip will not be part of the 2021 season “due to complaints lodged by patrons that they would like one last dip before the facility closes for the season,” she said.

Pool passes will be sold at the city building starting May 3. Freenock cautioned that passes “will contain a disclaimer that purchase of a pass does not guarantee admittance to the facility due to occupancy restrictions as a result of the COVID pandemic.”