SCRANTON, Pa. — It was back to the action and exercise here inside Riverfront Sports in Scranton!
The popular sports complex on West Olive Street provides a place for people, from children to adults, to participate in leagues of soccer, basketball, lacrosse and field hockey, as well as equipment for training and exercise.
So that's why the owner, Kevin Clark, says he made the tough decision to close his facility all through the Thanksgiving holiday week, Monday through Sunday, as a precaution as COVID cases were spiking across our area.
"We understand the amount of people that come in and out of our building so we thought it was best for the week that we shut down so people can enjoy time with their families,” said Clark. “There would be less exposures and we can continue to operate afterward.”
When Riverfront was forced to close in the spring, Clark implemented several safety measures.
A thermal-imaging camera is installed at the only entrance to the facility.
It can take the temperatures of multiple people at a time, allowing groups to pass in without getting backlogged.
"It comes up green with the actual number temperature on their forehead. Anything 100.4 or below is a good temperature, we allow them access to the building,” said Clark.
However if a person comes in with a temperature over that number, their image on the screen will turn red and an alarm will sound.
People here say they notice all the effort being taken for their safety.
"We've decided not to let our kids stop living their lives and because of the precautions we know are taken here, we're very comfortable here,” said Jolene Wilson, a Lake Lehman parent there to watch her daughter play basketball.
"Obviously they take a lot of precautions with the heat monitors and stuff,” said Amaya Moniacelli, an 8th grader at North Pocono from Moscow. “And I know a lot people who work here and they're really good people so they would make it clean for everybody.”
Clark says he used the time last week when Riverfront Sports was closed to get it deep cleaned by a professional cleaning staff as well as his own fulltime maintenance team.