Stingray Bay Family Aquatic Center in Huntley closed for 2020

Huntley Park District Monday announced the Stingray Bay Family Aquatic Center will be closed for 2020.

Stingray Bay’s operations do not comply with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention summer programming guidelines and cannot open until Phase 5 of Gov. JB Pritzer’s REstore Illinois Health plan, according to the news release.

The CDC currently advises park users to not use splash pads, water playgrounds or water park features and other frequently touched recreation equipment.

Stingray Bay Pool is a large venue and requires a significant number of staff present at all times, additionally complicating the “large gatherings” restriction under the governor’s stay-at-home order.

The HPD’s decision to cancel summer programming came after considering various factors, including finances. According to the park district, staff are not experts regarding communicable diseases and will need to defer to public health experts for guidance. Training staff will also be a challenge who must complete skills that involve direct and close contact with others, which cannot be done while maintaining physical distancing.

Amenities such as the water slides, diving board and other conveniences such as lounge chairs would either have to be closed, cleaned at an unreasonable intervals, or sitting spaces may have to be removed altogether to meet the guidelines.

Other activities at the park district will still be offered this summer following CDC guidelines.