Hoover Recreation Center membership hit hard by COVID-19 Ã
Photos by Erin Nelson. Ã
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a dramatic impact on the Hoover Recreation Center, cutting its membership levels in half, according to city records.
The number of memberships at the Rec Center dropped 58% from 7,608 in February 2020 to 3,177 in February 2021. The number of memberships climbed back up slightly to 3,528 in April, but thatâs still a far cry from the numbers before the pandemic hit.
âI think everybodyâs just nervous about coming back,â Hoover Parks and Recreation Director Craig Moss said.
The Rec Center was closed for about 70 days in the spring of 2020 due to state health orders, but even after it reopened, there were numerous restrictions in place regarding capacity levels and social distancing.