LEE'S SUMMIT, Mo. — Despite Jackson County Parks + Rec beaches being off-limits the rest of the season, not everyone is following that rule.
Tina Spallo, superintendent of Recreation for Jackson County Parks + Rec, said the department has had a few problems with people ignoring closure signs and swimming where they shouldn't be.
Park rangers are keeping an eye out for people breaking the rules. Spallo said the decision to close the Blue Springs Lake and Longview Lake beaches was two-fold.
"We knew that the beaches most likely would not be able to open until Phase 3, and that would most likely put us into July if not August," Spallo said, referencing the county’s plan to reopening amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Eastern Jackson County remains in Phase 2, which has a 50-person maximum for outdoor gatherings.
Spallo said the department also had to close the beaches because it would not have been able to recruit its full staff to maintain the beaches and fill lifeguard positions.
"Our recruitment of those lifeguards takes place during March, April and May," Spallo said.
Blue Springs resident Jody Springer said she and her family love coming out to Blue Springs Lake.
"My little one enjoys feeding the fish,”Springer said. “He loves seeing them flop all over the place.”
Springer said her family would normally enjoy the county's beaches, but they won't be able to this year.
"I think it's a bummer, but I understand I mean the priority is to keep people safe so they're doing what's best for the people," Springer said.
Spallo said she wants people to keep in mind there are plenty of other ways to enjoy the nature in Jackson County.
"You can put your boat in the water, you can rent boats, you can feed the fish and the ducks, have a picnic here on the dock," Spallo said. "We also have our campgrounds, our historic sites at Fort Osage and Missouri Town. We have all of our trails here in Jackson County."
The county, according to Spallo, will lose revenue generated by the beaches from admission fees, rentals and food and drinks.
"We have to be a little more prudent in regards to our spending,” Spallo said, “and the way that we are funding other areas of the park. We may not be able to do some of the projects that we were looking forward to doing this year."
During a year full of closed signs and cancellations, Springer and her family are doing their best to make it work.
"It just gave us the opportunity to get out and enjoy other things that aren't usually on our mind," Springer said.
