February 4, 2021
FREE
DOUGLAS COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
LoneTreeVoice.net
INSIDE: CALENDAR: PAGE 9 | VOICES: PAGE 10 | LIFE: PAGE 12 | SPORTS: PAGE 19
VOLUME 19 | ISSUE 52
Lone Tree Rec Center helps fight COVID blues 5-Star certified facility follows safety guidelines BY TABATHA STEWART SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
Like many parents during the pandemic, Rebecca Thompson of Lone Tree found herself cooped up in the house with two young children. Schools in the spring semester last year had gone to remote learning, then when summer break rolled around, due to COVID-19 restrictions across the state, plans of travel were thwarted. But Thompson said she found some relief by taking her children to the Lone Tree Recreation Center. “It was just nice for them to be able to go swimming, and get out of the house,” said Thompson. “They were tired of playing in the yard and not really going anywhere. Our trip to the rec center every week was really the highlight for all of us.” The center was closed last year from mid-March until June 1, when it reopened at 10% capacity. The center is currently operating at 25% capacity, or 50 people per room. Christina Wegscheider, facility and program supervisor at the Lone Tree Recreation Center, said that even though they’re not operating at full capacity, there’s still plenty of room for visitors and activities for all ages. “Everyone’s really glad we’re open,” said Wegscheider. “We’ve made some changes, including needing a reservation for some of our popular classes. We monitor how many people are in the pool, but aside from Martin Luther King Day, we haven’t had a lot of people having to wait to get in.” The center has earned 5-Star State Certification Program status, and enforces the mask mandate. They’ve increased the number of times
Dustin Williams of Lone Tree lifts weights at the Lone Tree Recreation Center. Williams said he has been able to maintain a good PHOTO BY TABATHA STEWART workout schedule despite COVID-19 restrictions. Treadmills and workout machines at the Lone Tree Recreation Center are getting plenty of use as residents strive to remain fit during the pandemic.
SEE REC CENTER, P8
SUPER SMART More than 50 local students are National Merit Scholarship semifinalists P3
DON’T BE SCARED
A wonderful world of monsters awaits on the 16th Street Mall P12