With a heatwave sweeping through the region, the Town of Essex is reopening its splash pads.
Splash pads in Colchester, Essex Centre, and Harrow have been shuttered due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but after putting precautions in place officials will reopen them Friday at 9 a.m.
According to the town, each location will have hand sanitizing stations and new signage reminding residents to follow physical distancing rules
Colchester's splash pad will be regularly monitored over the weekend to assure overcrowding doesn't occur as it did at Colchester Beach over the past few weeks.
Each site has been inspected by the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit to assure the proper precautions are in place.
The splash pads will open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.