A message from Northwest Arkansas Health Care Providers
Updates and Changes effective March 17, 2020
As a continued precaution due to the health and safety measures noted by President Trump, governing health agencies and Governor Asa Hutchinson, here are updates regarding the POA:
- The Member Services, Water Department, Maintenance & Construction offices will be closed to public access but the staff will be answering calls and emails. Many items can be handled online or by calling:
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- Member Services 479-855-8000 option 2
- Water Department 479-855-8000 option 1
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- BV Bar & Grill (479-855-5117) dining room will reopen on Monday May 11, 2020 with restrictions. Curb side will continue with full new menu and delivery will be available through BiteSquad.
- Lakepoint Restaurant (479-855-8110) dining room will reopen on Wednesday May 13, 2020 for reservations only. All banquets and large events have been canceled.
- Highlands Pub will reopen May 26, 2020.
- The Metfield Fitness facility will remain closed.
- Branchwood Fitness Center Reopens on May 11, 2020 with Reservations & Restrictions
- Riordan Fitness Center and Tennis / Pickleball Reopens May 4 with Reservations & Restrictions
- Outdoor Pools & The Beach at Lake Avalon Open Memorial Day Weekend
- The Trap and Skeet Range will reopen Saturday, May 16, following spring hours
- The Marina opens with limited hours and a limit of 10 or less people allowed in the office at one time.
- Golf remains the same but has a limit of 10 or less people in the Pro Shop at one time.
- Pro Shops that sell alcohol will only have canned beer for sale.
- Get-a-Grip will be re-opening on May 13th with normal days and hours of operation. The same safety policies will be in place, operating out of window and sanitizing all items coming in.
- All event and committee (JAC) meetings are canceled until further notice; the Board Work Session has been canceled.
- Most park restrooms will be closed.
- All playgrounds are closed effective immediately
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The CDC has recommended closing dog parks due to COVID-19 so effective immediately, the Loch Lomond Dog Park is closed until further notice. Also, please do not walk your dogs on the golf courses/paths. We are very concerned with safety since our courses are very busy right now.
We continue to monitor the actions and requests of the State of Arkansas and will keep you updated as we learn new information that impacts the POA.
Important Links
Open for Dine-In with Restrictions
Curb Side Service Available
The President’s Coronavirus Guidelines for America:
15 Days to Slow the Spread
- Listen to and follow the directions of your state and local authorities.
- If you feel sick, stay home. Do not go to work. Contact your medical provider.
- If your children are sick, keep them at home. Do not send them to school. Contact your medical provider.
- If someone in your household has tested positive for the coronavirus, keep the entire household at home. Do not go to work. Do not go to school. Contact your medical provider.
- If you are an older person, stay home and away from other people.
- If you are a person with a serious underlying health condition that can put you at increased risk (for example, a condition that impairs your lung or heart function or weakens your immune system), stay home and away from other people.
- Even if you are young, or otherwise healthy, you are at risk and your activities can increase the risk for others. It is critical that you do your part to stop the spread of the coronavirus:
- Work or engage in schooling from home whenever possible.
- If you work in a critical infrastructure industry, as defined by the Department of Homeland Security, such as healthcare services and pharmaceutical and food supply, you have a special responsibility to maintain your normal work schedule. You and your employers should follow CDC guidance to protect your health at work.
- Avoid social gatherings in groups of more than 10 people.
- Avoid eating or drinking in bars, restaurants, and food courts – use drive-thru, pickup, or delivery options.
- Avoid discretionary travel, shopping trips, and social visits.
- Do not visit nursing homes or retirement or long-term care facilities unless to provide critical assistance.
- Practice good hygiene:
- Wash your hands, especially after touching any frequently used item or surface.
- Avoid touching your face.
- Sneeze or cough into a tissue, or the inside of your elbow.
- Disinfect frequently used items and surfaces as much as possible.
A Message from Director of Golf Operations, Darryl Muldoon, PGA
Golf Update
At this time Golf courses will not be closing.
Group Leaders
I’m asking group leaders to help manage their players outside and those wanting to come into the pro shops.
- Group leaders need to pick up all annual players tags for the day of play.
- No more than 10 people in the pro shops at a time.
- Please no congregating in social areas before and after play, if at all possible.
- All fresh food items as well as all poured beverages will cease until further notice.
- Please leave flag sticks in the hole, fewer hands that touch the flag the better.
- All ball washes will be removed from the golf course until further notice.
- Please help us by discarding your trash at the bathrooms or when you return your cart to the cart shed, fewer hands that touch trash the better.
- All bunker rakes will be removed until further notice.
- The maintenance staff will rake bunkers once a day.
- Local rule is in effect, place your ball in the bunker in a undisturbed area no near to the hole.
- Please use your feet to level the bunker as best as you can.
Golf Operations is disinfecting all public areas, to ensure that golf courses can stay open unless we are told otherwise.
I’m asking you to please communicate this with all your players in your groups.
Groups and Individuals
This is for our groups and individuals, it does not pertain to tournaments.
I want to thank you for helping us with the current situation, it appears to be working well. A few more things and I’m sure I will be reaching out to you with more later.
- Effective today we are suspending the cart tag policy.
- Please make sure the rosters that you submit are up to date.
- Let the Pro shop know all no shows and all AGG.
- Please be aware that we can’t always allow single riders as we will run out of carts on busy days.
- It will be on a day to day bases and we will go according to the tee sheet.
- Just because you see carts that have not been used at 10:08 when you check in doesn’t mean you can get a cart to yourself. We have more players behind your tee time that we must accommodate for.
I hope this helps. Now let’s get this rain to stop so we can play more golf.
Some Fitness Centers and Tennis/Pickleball Reopen
with Reservations & Restrictions
With the Governor’s guidance, we have reopened Riordan Fitness Center on May 4 and Branchwood Fitness Center on May 11 with the restrictions listed below. Due to the size of our facilities and the Governor’s directive on reopening fitness centers, we are working hard to serve our Members in a safe manner. As always, we encourage each Member to consider what is best for them and to stay home if they are not well.
NEW Riordan Fitness Center Hours
(479) 855-8170
Monday – Friday: 6 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Saturday: 7 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Sunday: Closed
NEW Branchwood Fitness Center & Pool Hours
(479) 855-8181
Monday – Friday • 6 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Saturday • 7 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Sunday • Closed
NOTE: We are opening Riordan Hall first due to its large size and ability to accommodate the most people safely. We will reopen Branchwood Fitness Center on May 11 (no locker rooms, pool, sauna or spa). Due to the Governor’s new fitness center guidelines, we are unable to open Metfield at this time (due to distancing and size of facility).
Branchwood pool is open for adult lap swim and water walking at this time. Family Open Swim times are not available at this time due to strict social distancing guidance. The outdoor pools and beach are open for family swimming.
Please plan for the following restrictions:
- Members must bring and wear a mask at all times except while actively exercising.
- A screening will be conducted on all Members before access is allowed:
Those who have any of the following characteristics will NOT be allowed to enter:
- Have returned from travel to NY, NJ, CT, New Orleans or overseas within the last 14 days;
- Have had a fever of 100.4°F or greater in the last 2 days;
- Have a cough, difficulty breathing, sore throat, or loss of taste or smell;
- Had contact with a person known to be infected with COVID-19 within the previous 14 days;
- Have compromised immune systems and/or have chronic diseases.
- Staff will wear masks and gloves and ask Members to scan their own cards
- Strict social distancing practices will be in place including 12-foot distancing while working out
- A reservation system will be used. You may call up to 7 days in advance to reserve your 1-hour timeslot to workout.
- Lobby areas will be limited to check-in purposes only – do not congregate in the lobby
- Limited exercise equipment will be available based on social distancing guidelines
- No groups, clubs or meetings (cards, dance, etc.)
- Billiards/Snookers will not be available
- No locker rooms, showers, spas/hot tubs, sauna or pool (Branchwood when it opens)
- Additional staff will be routinely disinfecting all areas and enforcing social distancing
- Live Stream classes will continue
- No in-person classes at this time
- Branchwood Indoor Racquet/Pickleball courts are closed at this time
TENNIS & PICKLEBALL
with new safety guidelines
Kingsdale Tennis Complex will reopen on May 4
NEW Kingsdale Tennis Pro Shop Hours
Monday – Thursday: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 4 – 8 p.m.
Friday: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Saturday: 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Sunday: Closed (courts available for drop in play – no restrooms)
- Pickleball Courts at Metfield and Branchwood Parks will reopen on May 4 when nets will be back up
- 2 cans of balls or separate balls per team will be required on each court
- Limited to casual court use, private lessons, and small groups of less than 10
- No patio seating and no congregatingbefore and after matches
You may call the Kingsdale Tennis Center (KTC) for court reservations at (479) 855-8174 on Friday, May 1 from 1 – 5 p.m and Saturday, May 2 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Outdoor Pools & The Beach at Lake Avalon Open Memorial Day Weekend
with Restrictions
It’s happening! After a long spring of limited activities, we’re excited to announce the outdoor pools and The Beach will open on the following dates:
- Kingsdale Pools: Saturday, May 23
- The Beach at Lake Avalon: Saturday, May 23
- Metfield Pools: Monday, May 25
So how’s this going to work? There’s no way around it — it’s a different world! In keeping with the Arkansas Dept. of Health’s directive on reopening, several restrictions will be in place. We ask that you review the following and plan accordingly.
- Each individual pool at Kingsdale & Metfield Complex will have limited capacity to insure safe social distancing of 6 feet between non-family members.
- All pools will have specific timeslots to maximize the number of Members we can serve
- The timeslots will be for 2 ½ hours with 30 minutes in-between to disinfect and clean the facilities
- The timeslots will be first-come, first-served. Currently, we do not plan to use a reservation system.
- Pool timeslots available:
- 11 am – 1:30 pm (Closed for disinfecting and cleaning 1:30 – 2pm)
- 2 – 4:30 pm (Closed for disinfecting and cleaning 4:30 – 5 pm)
- 5 – 7 pm
- You may use the pool(s) for just one timeslot per day
- Physical distancing of 6 feet will be enforced between people in all pool areas including in the water. Family members may sit and enter the pool together. Chairs between groups will be appropriately spaced and not all Members may have a chair.
- Physical distancing will be enforced at slides and the concessions area
Anyone with the following characteristics will not be able to enter:
- Have had a fever of 100.4°F or greater in the last 2 days;
- Have a cough, difficulty breathing, sore throat, or loss of taste or smell;
- Had contact with a person known to be infected with COVID-19 in the previous 14 days
It is recommended that people may wish to refrain from entering if:
- They are 65 years of age or older.
- They have underlying health conditions including high blood pressure, chronic lung disease, diabetes, severe obesity, asthma or weakened immunity.
The Beach at Lake Avalon will enforce the same social distancing guidelines as the pools. We will manage both the sandy area and the water for the directives listed above. We ask that Members be respectful of other members and stay for a maximum of 3 hours.
Beach Hours:
Saturday / Sunday 10 a.m – 7 p.m.
Monday – Friday 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
The Trap and Skeet Range Will Reopen Saturday, May 16
with Restrictions
The Trap and skeet range will reopen Saturday, May 16 following spring hours. To help protect the health and safety of shooters and staff, additional rules and procedures will be in place for the time being.
- The use of the clubhouse is restricted to restroom facilities and to purchase items only.
- All non-shooters must remain in their vehicles unless they are coaching.
- All common surfaces will be sanitized every three hours of operation.
- Tokens will not be recirculated throughout the day unless they have undergone a sanitization process.
The Range Master has the authority to enforce these rules like any other range rule, those in violation will be asked to leave.
*As new information comes available these rules and procedures may change frequently*
SPRING HOURS:
Wednesdays – 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturdays – 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.