Swimming at Long Lake Park restricted to shallow area
Swimming at Long Lake Park has been restricted to the shallow section of the swim area, according to the City of Lacey.
The cause: poor water visibility, which creates safety concerns for swimmers and lifeguards.
According to a press release from the city, visibility was limited to 3.5 feet as of Thursday. Once water visibility increases to at least 4 feet, the city plans to remove the restriction and reopen the deep end to swimmers.
Jen Burbidge, the city’s Parks and Recreation Director, said it’s typical for lake visibility to change. The city and county do regular checks for bacteria to make sure the water is safe to enter, Burbidge said, and bacteria is not a cause for the current restriction.
The city posts updates on Long Lake Park on the Municipal Parks section of its website. Burbidge said the city will post an update once the restriction is is no longer in place.
“The most important thing for swimmers planning to visit the park to do is check the website before they go,” Burbidge said.
On its website, the city refers to Long Lake Park, located adjacent to the Thurston County Fairgrounds, as “one of the most intensely used parks in the city of Lacey, especially on a hot, sunny summer day.”
This story was originally published August 16, 2019 at 8:48 AM with the headline "Swimming at Long Lake Park restricted to shallow area."
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