The Kewanee Park District announced that the pool in Northeast Park will open back up today, June 7, 2023, after being closed by the Illinois Department of Public Heath (IDPH) because of lost paperwork. The Kewanee Park District submitted their application for a license back in April, prior to the April 30th deadline. Park District Director, Andy Dwyer, said they previously were told to continue with business as usual.
Director Dwyer said they replaced the grates around the pool 2021, which needs to be done approximately every five years. The pool staff and Park District were not expecting to hear they weren’t licensed because they didn’t file the application, which was submitted in April. Director Dwyer pulled a copy of the application and contacted IDPH. The inspector told pool staff that children under 16 years of age required an adult guardian, which caused a lot of confusion for the Park District and the public. Director Dwyer told the pool staff to comply with the Inspector for the time being. The inspector had misspoke to staff because the rule requires a guardian when lifeguards are not present. The Oasis Pool has lifeguards on duty at all times during business hours.
The Oasis Pool quickly returned to the current policy that says any child 12-years-old and under must be accompanied by a responsible party 13 years of age and older. The Oasis Family Aquatic Center is open daily from noon to 6 PM, weather permitting, and admission is $5 for all ages. There is a break at 3 PM daily and guests can enjoy a drink or snack from the attached Concession Stand. The Fourth of July is a special day where the Oasis hosts a free swim day and donations go to support the increasing costs for the Kewanee Fourth of July Fireworks show. The last day of the season is reserved for the popular dog swim. Dog owners look forward to this event each year. Season passes are available, find more information here.
