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File #: 21-1192   
Type: Formal Action Status: Passed
Meeting Body: City Council Formal Meeting
On agenda: 5/5/2021 Final action: 5/5/2021
Title: Reopening City Services in the Parks and Recreation and Human Services Departments
District: Citywide

Title

Reopening City Services in the Parks and Recreation and Human Services Departments

 

Description

Request authorization for the City Manager, or his designee, to reopen City facilities and activities in the Parks and Recreation and Human Services departments on the Monday after Memorial Day, which is June 7, 2021.

 

Report

Summary

In March 2020, the Phoenix Parks and Recreation and Human Services departments responded to the spread of COVID-19 and closed facilities to in-person visits and services. For customers, in-person recreation programming, access to gymnasiums, classrooms and fitness centers ended. In addition, services for seniors, including congregate meals, in-person programming and social activities shifted to virtual and home delivered methods.

 

On March 16, 2021, the Phoenix City Council approved reopening outdoor Parks and Recreation services such as fields for reservations, all park amenities and 12 of 29 pools for the summer Aquatics season.

 

The departments recognize the importance of providing the community with in-person programming options. Many parents have come to rely on indoor programming during the summer months when students are out of school; and seniors desire to engage in programs and activities with their peers; therefore, the focus is to implement a safe, phased strategy to restore select in-person, indoor programming and services at reduced capacities. The departments have provided their reopening plans to a public health professional for review and feedback has been incorporated into each plan.

 

Parks and Recreation

The Parks and Recreation Department recommends implementation of in-person programming at centers that historically provide summer recreation activities, with reduced capacities in a tiered approach. Activities will include the annual summer program for registered participants ages 6 to 12; and limited indoor and outdoor recreation classes, which require registration and/or appointments.

 

The department will refer to the City of Phoenix overall risk category per the Arizona Department of Health Services Community Transmission Indicators to progress through its reopening stages. Tier 1 will include 11 of the department’s largest community centers opening at 50 percent program capacity, while in the Substantial Transmission risk category. These centers were selected based on their size, overall facility capacity and the ability to provide more social distancing among participants, than smaller centers.

 

Tier 1 Centers

Deer Valley Community Center (2001 W. Wahalla Lane)

Desert West Community Center (6501 W. Virginia Ave.)

Eastlake Community Center (1549 E. Jefferson St.)

Goelet A.C. Beuf Community Center (3435 W. Pinnacle Peak Road)

Longview Neighborhood Recreation Center (4040 N. 14th St.)

Maryvale Community Center (4420 N. 67th Ave.)

Paradise Valley Community Center (17402 N. 40th St.)

Pecos Community Center (17010 S. 48th St.)

South Mountain Community Center (212 E. Alta Vista Road)

Sunnyslope Community Center (802 E. Vogel Ave.)

Washington Activity Center (2240 W. Citrus Way)

 

Programming will be executed with the following mitigation efforts in place:

 

  • Face coverings required in alignment with City of Phoenix facility mask mandate, except when eating.
  • A COVID-19 screening survey will be required upon arrival to the facility.
  • Temperature checks.
  • Program and facility occupancy control limits based on overall risk transmission.
  • Public facing reception areas will provide contactless customer service. Plexiglass barriers have been installed at all service desks.
  • Social distancing of center furnishings and installation of signage to encourage social distancing.
  • Virtual programs and activities will continue to be provided.
  • Daily on-site janitorial staff will frequently clean and disinfect touched surfaces and restrooms throughout their day.
  • Cleaning of games, craft items and exercise equipment will occur after each member use.
  • Disinfectant wipes, hand sanitizer, disposable masks and gloves for members and staff will be readily available.
  • Fresh air intake volume has been increased at all community and recreation centers to circulate a higher concentration of fresh air into the buildings. MERV13 air filters have been installed at all centers.
  • Participants are provided with pre-packaged lunches or will bring their own lunch, snacks and drinks daily. Lunch will take place indoors in a space that allows for six feet of physical distancing.

 

A minimum of 30-days’ notice is needed to reopen community centers to ensure sufficient time to hire and train staff as needed, re-secure custodial services and conduct summer program registration.

 

Once the City of Phoenix overall risk category reaches Moderate Transmission, Tier 1 centers will increase program capacity to 75 percent; and Tier 2 centers will open at 75 percent program capacity.

 

Tier 2 Centers

Aeroterra Community Center (1725 E. McKinley St.) *

Coffelt-Lamoreaux Recreation Center (1510 S. 19th Drive) *

Faye Gray Recreation Center (5550 S. 20th St.)

Harmon Recreation Center (1425 S. 5th Ave.)

Hayden Neighborhood Recreation Center (420 W. Tamarisk Ave.)

Holiday Park Recreation Center (4560 N. 67th Ave.)

Luke Krohn (1940 1/2 E. Villa St.) *

Marc Atkinson Recreation Center (4535 N. 23rd Ave.)

Mountain View Community Center (1104 E. Grovers Ave.)

Muriel Smith Recreation Center (2230 W. Roeser Ave.)

Playa Margarita Recreation Center (3615 W. Roeser Ave.)

Sidney P. Osborn (1720 E. Adams St.) *

South Phoenix Youth Center (5245 S. 7th St.)

Sunnyslope Youth Center (1702 W. Peoria Ave.)

University Park Recreation Center (1002 W. Van Buren St.)

Vernell Coleman Recreation Center (830 W. Tonto St.) *

 

(*denotes Housing Department sites)

 

The following community centers do not offer formal summer recreation programs but would open for drop-in recreation activities at reduced capacities and for select classes and programs, which will require registration and/or appointments.

 

Bret Tarver Learning Center (1516 N. 35th Ave.)

Verde Park Recreation Center (916 E. Van Buren St.)

Devonshire Senior Center (2802 E. Devonshire Ave.) **

 

**Devonshire is only used for classes and programs during evening and weekend hours; the Human Services Department uses the facility for senior programs during weekday, daytime hours. Class sizes range depending on activity and room used in the facility.

 

Once the City of Phoenix overall risk category reaches Low Transmission, community centers will return to normal service hours and days, and programming and activities will be expanded based on what CDC thresholds allow.

 

High School Swimming Pool Rentals

The Parks and Recreation Department is recommending Phoenix pools be open for high school pool rentals Aug. 2, 2021 through Nov. 5, 2021. Approximately 14 high schools typically utilize eight City pools over the course of the fall for their high school swim and dive teams. This year, Washington Pool is not one of the 12 pools that will be open during the 2021 Aquatics season. As a result Washington Pool will not be filled with water and will not be available for fall pool rentals. The City provides one pool manager and up to three lifeguards to ensure supervision and adequate lifeguard coverage during practices and meets. High school districts pay staffing costs prior to the rental; and reimburse heating, chemical and electrical costs after the swim season.

 

All high schools will be expected to adhere to current Arizona Interscholastic Association COVID guidelines and all City of Phoenix Aquatics COVID-facility requirements.

 

Outdoor Activities and Special Permits

The Parks and Recreation Department is also recommending resuming special permit applications for beer, bounce houses and amplified sound, as well as Special Activity Requests for private activities in the park. Examples include birthday parties, family reunions and other gatherings not open to the public. Any requests for special events open to the public must continue to be submitted and reviewed by the City Manager’s Special Event Committee.

 

Human Services

The Human Services Department recommends implementation of in-person programming at all 15 senior centers, to include on-site meal and senior shuttle services, with reduced capacities in a tiered approach.

 

The department will refer to the City of Phoenix overall risk category per the Arizona Department of Health Services Community Transmission Indicators to progress through its reopening stages. Tier 1 will include all 15 of the department’s senior centers opening at 50 percent program capacity, while in the Substantial/Moderate Transmission risk category.

 

Senior Centers

Adam Diaz Senior Center (4115 W. Thomas Road)

Chinese Senior Center (734 W. Elm St.)

Deer Valley Community Center (2001 W. Wahalla Lane)

Desert West Community Center (6501 W. Virginia Ave.)

Devonshire Senior Center (2802 E. Devonshire Ave.)

Goelet A.C. Beuf Community Center (3435 W. Pinnacle Peak Road)

Helen Drake Senior Center (7600 N. 27th Ave.)

Marcos de Niza Senior Center (305 W. Pima Road)

McDowell Place Senior Center (1845 E. McDowell Road)

Paradise Valley Community Center (17402 N. 40th St.)

Pecos Community Center (17010 S. 48th St.)

Senior Opportunities West Senior Center (1220 S. 7th Ave.)

Shadow Mountain Senior Center (3546 E. Sweetwater Ave.)

South Mountain Community Center (212 E. Alta Vista Road)

Sunnyslope Community Center (802 E. Vogel Ave.)

 

Programming will be executed with the following mitigation efforts in place:

 

  • Face coverings required in alignment with City of Phoenix facility mask mandate, except when eating.
  • A COVID-19 screening survey will be required upon arrival to the facility to determine their fitness to remain at the center.
  • Temperature checks.
  • Due to maximum 50 percent occupancy limit for members, a reservation process will be utilized to offer morning (9 to 11:30 a.m.) and afternoon (1 to 3:30 p.m.) class and activity sessions; to maintain distancing, seniors will only be permitted to attend either the morning or the afternoon classes or activity sessions. When surveyed by staff, those seniors who responded agreed that this would allow the most number of individuals to attend.
  • Public facing reception areas will provide contactless customer service. Plexiglass barriers have been installed at all service desks.
  • Social distancing of center furnishings, including plexiglass dividers installed on tables, and installation of signage to encourage member, vendor and staff compliance with social distancing.
  • Virtual programs and activities will continue to be provided utilizing digital instructor stations and remote TVs.
  • Daily on-site janitorial staff will frequently clean and disinfect touched surfaces and restrooms throughout their day.
  • Cleaning of games, craft items and exercise equipment will occur after each member use.
  • Cleaning of computer laptops will occur after each laptop has been returned.
  • Disinfectant wipes, hand sanitizer, disposable masks and gloves for members and staff will be readily available.
  • Fresh air intake volume has been increased at all senior centers to circulate a higher concentration of fresh air into the buildings. MERV13 air filters have been installed at all senior centers.

 

Meal and Transportation Services

The Human Services Department is recommending individually packaged hot meal services for senior center members attending classes and activities on-site, and weekly frozen meal deliveries to members unable to visit the senior center due to occupancy capacity limits or personal safety needs. Shelf stable meals would also be available for members wanting to reserve a meal on specific days when they are unable to remain at the center during programming. Senior shuttle transportation services would resume for members as needed to and from their homes to the nearest senior center. Only members of the same household may travel together. Both meal and transportation vendors will follow all established safety protocols.

 

A minimum of 30-days’ notice is needed to ensure sufficient time to prepare the facility, re-secure daily custodial services, notify members, train staff on new cleaning protocols and begin registration for indoor classes and activities.

 

Once the City of Phoenix overall risk category reaches Low Transmission, the 15 senior centers will return to normal service hours and days, and programming and activities will be expanded based on what CDC thresholds allow.

 

Department

Responsible Department

This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Inger Erickson and the Parks and Recreation and Human Services departments.