Town officials say they’re seeing strong early demand for passes to Waveny Pool for the 2021 season.
In the first 10 days of sales, the town sold 165 resident family, 15 senior and 20 individual passes for the popular facility, according to Recreation Director Steve Benko.
“So people are looking forward to the pool season,” Benko told members of the Parks & Recreation Commission during their April 14 meeting, held via videoconference.
State officials are expected to make an announcement this week regarding summer activities, including guidance on capacity limits for facilities such as Waveny Pool, he said.
“Everybody is anxiously waiting to see what the [state Department of Economic and Community Development] and the [Department of Public Health] are going to to do for summer activities,” Benko said.
Last year, citing expected high demand and new restrictions that limit capacity, officials decided in June to only sell passes to the pool to residents of New Canaan. Sales of passes to local seniors were down, though family passes were in line with past years and overall attendance increased.
It’s unclear whether the town will sell nonresident passes for the 2021 season.
Last year’s opening of the pool, usually set for Memorial Day weekend, had been delayed by a few weeks as the town awaited guidance from the state amid the first months of COVID-19. In the end, public health restrictions put a cap on how many people could be in the Waveny Pool at one time. (New Canaan reduced the fee for family passes from $450 to $300 due to the shortened season.)
Benko told the Commission that as now the Recreation Department is planning to put on its usual swim lessons at Waveny Pool and also to have its summer swimming and diving team.
“Again, the Fairfield County Swim League is waiting to see what the state is going to do for regulations and whether they’ll do in-person meets or do the virtual meets like last year,” Benko said. “Everyone is still waiting to see what the state will do.”