The Pottstown spray park will be closed this weekend as temperatures rise

Children played at the sterilization park in Memorial Park earlier this week, but the city has closed it until Monday, June 24, when the Volleyball Rumble concludes. (Evan Brandt – MediaNews group)

POTTSTOWN – Just as a “heat dome” settles over the eastern United States next week, the Pottstown Parks and Recreation Department has closed the spray park at Memorial Park.

The announcement was made Friday, the same day it closed, although Parks and Recreation Director Michael Lenhart said the information was posted on social media a day earlier.

“We have closed the Spray Park facility during the Rumble for the last seven or eight years because it addresses some concerns. We have attempted to operate the spray park facility during the event for the past several years, including nine and 10 years ago, but encountered some difficulties as a result and felt it best to discontinue operations during the event,” Lenhart wrote.

“I don’t want to say the Rumble players are all dirty and sweaty, but they are,” Lenhart told MediaNews Group on Friday.

“The main concerns are twofold: firstly, there is an issue of increased vehicular traffic in the area as a result of the Rumble and the safety risk this poses to the simultaneous use of the spray park. Second, there’s the problem of Rumble attendees using the facility to cool off and clean. The system cannot handle the volume of bathers and we are experiencing operational problems that will likely cause the system to shut down, possibly longer than a planned closure,” Lenhart wrote.

Pennsylvania has issued an “extreme heat” warning and temperatures are expected to remain in the 90s through next week. “Extreme heat” is a period of heat and humidity with temperatures higher than 90 degrees for at least two to three days. It is dangerous for everyone and can be especially hard on young children, older adults and pets.

“We don’t like to close the business during a heat wave, but we’ve done that before and we can’t have both open at the same time,” he said. “If we were to leave it open, there’s a good chance it would be closed longer than the weekend, so this really is best practice.”

According to the National Weather Service, “Broadly persistent high levels will persist over portions of the eastern to south-central U.S., causing a heat wave to persist over the region, with a focus on the most intense heat spreading in the Middle East. Atlantic Ocean. Forecast temperatures in the mid-90s on Friday will rise to 100 degrees on Saturday in the Mid-Atlantic, with record temperatures possible.”

The agency added that “heat-related advisories and warnings are in effect as these temperatures, combined with humidity, will bring heat index values ​​into the 100-105 degree range, with values ​​as high as 110 possible in the southern Mid-Atlantic on Saturday. In addition, overnight temperatures will remain at potentially record highs in the mid-70s in many locations, providing little relief from the heat overnight. The early arrival of this heat in the summer season, its persistence for several days, and the abundant sunshine will aggravate heat stress in those without reliable air conditioning. Temperatures more broadly, from the East Coast to the Central/Southern Plains, will be in the low 90s on Friday and mid 90s on Saturday.”