Due to recent significant increases in local COVID-19 transmission rates, the Bensenville Park District is closing the Deer Grove Leisure Center (DGLC) to all patrons and activities for two weeks, effective Friday, December 31, with a planned reopening Saturday, January 15. The Tiny Tots Preschool and Winter Break Escape programs have been paused effective at the close of operations Wednesday, December 29.
All indoor programs and activities, including the Wood Street Fitness Center and basketball leagues, are being paused out of an abundance of caution, with the exception of registration and refund activities at the front desk, which will be open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays beginning Monday, January 3.
During the two weeks the DGLC is closed, the building will undergo enhanced cleaning and sanitization to minimize the potential spread of COVID-19. Additionally, building access will be limited to only essential employees and contractors conducting these and other services.
The park district is closely monitoring information and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Illinois Department of Health (IDPH) regarding the COVID-19 outbreak and its variants. The IDPH qualifies high transmission rates as having greater than 100 new cases per 100,000 residents over a seven-day period or a positivity rate greater than 10 percent. The most recent data for DuPage County showed 4221 new cases over the previous week with a 455 case total per 100,000. The positivity rate is 7.6 percent.
Fitness Center memberships will be extended accordingly, and participants in other programs affected will receive a pro-rated refund. Basketball programs will also undergo modifications to the schedule.
The district had previously scheduled and published facility closures over the holidays. Those included the DGLC December 31 in addition to New Year’s Day, January 1, and the White Pines Golf Club December 31-January 2. White Pines Golf Club will remain open for play as long as there is not any standing snow on the course.
Status updates regarding park district facilities and programs will be posted to the park district website, bvilleparks.org. Park district patrons can stay up to date with closures of programs, parks and facilities and get notified of class cancelations by signing up for text messages and email alerts or by downloading the “Rainout Line” app. Information about this service may be found on the park district website, bvilleparks.org/about-us/rainouts-closures.
