No Tri-Cities pools or splash parks will open this summer. But ‘carpool cinemas’ are planned

Swimming pools, wading pools and splash pads will not open in five Tri-Cities area towns this summer.

Kennewick, Pasco, Richland, West Richland and Prosser announced Thursday afternoon that they will not be able to staff and open their pools and splash pads this summer.

Keeping them closed was a “very disappointing” decision, they said.

The Washington state Department of Health prohibits public pools from opening even at reduced capacity until Phase 3 of Gov. Jay Inslee’s Safe Start reopening plan to slow the coronavirus.

Benton and Franklin counties are now in modified Phase 1, with no public water recreation facilities allowed to open, and it appears unlikely that the Tri-Cities area will make it to Phase 3 in time to staff and prepare aquatic facilities to open.

However, the cities are considering into other ideas.

One is a “Tri-Cities Carpool Cinema” that will show drive-in movies in Richland, Pasco and Kennewick on a giant LED screen. Details have yet to be announced.

The cities pointed out that they also maintain thousands of acres of outdoor recreational properties, including parks, walking trails, skate parks, horseshoe pits, outdoor work-out equipment and other amenities for families to use.

However, group activities for people who do not live together are not yet allowed.

This story was originally published July 23, 2020 at 4:54 PM.