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NATCHEZ — Visitors must wear a mask when entering the Natchez Adams County Public Pool facility but once inside they can take off the mask and dive in.

The public pool resumed operations on June 22 under new safety protocols issued by the City of Natchez and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Everyone that comes into the facility has to wear a mask,” said Jimmy Ware, chairman of the Natchez-Adams County Recreation Commission. “The chairs are 6 to 10 feet apart and we are washing the chairs down.”

When someone is exercising in the pool, Ware said the masks are not required. But once patrons exit the pool, Ware said they have to wear  masks.

Ware said patrons should not swim side-by-side and should social distance.

Contina Minor was at the pool last Thursday afternoon with her granddaughter, Elyse Campbell. Minor said this is the first year she has come to the public pool and said she would continue coming to the pool with the new safety protocols in place.

“I feel safe and I do not feel threatened here,” Minor said. “I appreciate that we have to wear a mask coming into the facility.”

Lifeguard Cate Drane said the white lounge chairs are sanitized at the beginning and at the end of each day the pool is in operation.

Drane said this is her second year working as a lifeguard and safety is the top priority at the pool.

“We want this to be a relaxing place for people to take their minds off of things,” Drane said. “We also want the place to be safe for people as well.”

The pool is located at 352 Liberty Road, Natchez, next to the National Guard Armory. The public pool is open Tuesday through Saturday.

On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, the Natchez Adams County Public Pool opens at noon and closes at 6 p.m. On Thursdays, the pool opens at 2 p.m. and closes at 6 p.m. with adults only swimming from 7 to 10 p.m. On Saturdays, the pool opens at 11 a.m. and closes at 8 p.m.

The pool is closed on Sundays and Mondays.