Frequently Asked Questions

COVID-19 Phased Reopening

As Illinois continues to relax restrictions, the Foglia Foundation Health and Recreation Center (a partnership between Harper College, Northwest Community Healthcare and Palatine Park District) has begun a phased reopening plan. Learn more about Harper’s COVID-19 response on our advisory page.

The phased plan includes limited openings of segments of the facility utilizing reservation systems. This will provide us time to monitor the effectiveness of our safety procedures and make adjustments as needed. We appreciate your patience and understanding.

What areas of the Health and Recreation Center are currently open?

NCH Outpatient Care Center
Indoor Pool for the Palatine Park District Swim Team participants
Indoor Pool with limited lap swimming (reservations required - no walk-ins allowed) available to the following groups:

- Palatine Park District Annual Indoor Pool Pass holders
- Harper College students who attended Harper in 2020 and/or Harper students who are currently enrolled in the Spring 2021 term
- Health and Recreation Center active members**
Outdoor areas and limited indoor areas for Harper College athletic practices

**Active members as of March 16, 2020, who did NOT: cancel their membership, receive a refund and/or have an outstanding balance on account.

Indoor Pool with Limited Lap Swimming

When is the indoor pool open for limited lap swimming/water walking at the Health and Recreation Center?
Monday through Friday, 12:00 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. and 7 to 10:45 a.m. on Saturday. 45-Minute time slots are available at the top of each hour. Reservations are required and no walk-ins are allowed.

Can I access the locker rooms, showers and use the towel service?
Due to current COVID-19 restrictions, the main locker rooms, showers and towel service are not be available until further notice.

As a Harper College student, how do I gain access to lap swimming at the Health and Recreation Center?
Please make a reservation for lap swimming and water walking. When checking in at the Health and Recreation Center for your reservation, please bring your Harper College ID, state-issued photo ID or passport to the Welcome Desk. Harper students who attended Harper in 2020 and/or the Spring 2021 term have access to lap swimming through May 31.

As a Health and Recreation Center member (community or employee), do I have access to lap swimming/water walking?
Yes, active members (as of March 16, 2020, who did NOT: cancel their membership, receive a refund and/or have an outstanding balance on account) have access to the pool for reserved lap swimming and water walking through May 31. Reservations are required and no walk-ins are allowed.

If I have a current Palatine Park District Annual Indoor Pool Pass, do I have access to lap swimming/waterwalking?
Yes, PPD Annual Indoor Pool Pass holders have access to the pool for reserved lap swimming and water walking. For more information on renewing or purchasing a PPD Annual Pool Pass please visit Annual Indoor Pool Pass. Reservations are required and no walk-ins are allowed.

Harper College – Facemask Guidelines

What is the facemask guidelines for Harper College campus?
Everyone coming to Harper College’s campus must wear a facemask when they are inside buildings, as well as outdoors when 6-foot social distancing cannot be maintained. We wear masks to protect others. Working together, we can ensure a safe environment for all.

Masks worn on campus at Harper College must be two or more layers of breathable fabric, completely cover the nose and mouth, and fit snugly against the sides of the face with no gaps. Gaiters and masks with valves are not acceptable. Disposable masks are available at screening stations.

Membership

Do I need to do anything with my Health and Recreation Center membership at this time?
No, your membership was paused automatically on March 16, 2020. If you did NOT cancel your membership, receive a refund and/or have an outstanding balance on your account, you have access to lap swimming at the Health and Recreation Center beginning through May 31. Reservations are required and no walk-ins are allowed. At this time, we do not have an exact date for reopening the remaining areas of the facility. Depending on your membership type adjustments were made as follows:

Monthly Memberships
If you had an active monthly membership as of March 16, 2020 your membership was paused and you will not be billed for the months in which the facility is closed. Prorated refunds for the second half of March will not be issued. Monthly billing will resume when the facility (i.e. more than the pool) re-opens.
Annual Memberships
We will be adjusting the expiration dates for all annual memberships. The expiration dates will be extended by the amount of time the facility remains closed.
Employee Payroll Deduction for Monthly Memberships
If you had an active monthly membership as of March 16, 2020 your membership was paused and you will not have a payroll deduction for the months the facility is closed. Prorated refunds for the second half of March will not be issued. Monthly payroll deductions will resume once the facility (i.e. more than the pool) re-opens.

What about other monthly charges like locker rental fees?
All monthly charges on membership accounts have been paused. We will update accordingly depending on the length of the closure for all monthly and annual locker rentals.

Can I get my belongings out of my locker that I am renting?
Currently the facility is open for limited lap swimming with a reservation. Only swim registrants, PPD swim participants and Harper athletes and staff are allowed in the facility. Please contact Dimitra Zougras at dzougras@harpercollege for more information regarding your locker.

Can I still make a transaction or pay off an outstanding balance during the closure?
Yes, your online membership portal is still accessible if you would like to pay off any outstanding balances. You can also update any expired or cancelled credit cards through your online membership portal as usual.

Campus Recreation Programming

Are you offering virtual workouts or exercise programs and challenges?
Yes, we are offering virtual workouts daily and a variety of virtual fitness challenges and events to keep you healthy and fit. These are free and open to the general public until further notice.

When do in-person group exercise classes start?
At this time, we do not have an exact date for reopening the remaining areas of the facility including in-person group exercise classes. We are offering virtual workouts daily.

What happened to my outstanding personal training sessions?
All open personal training sessions will remain active and expiration dates will be extended. At this time, we do not have an exact date for reopening the remaining areas of the facility. If you have a question related to your personal training sessions, please contact Laura Crisman, Asst. Director of Programs and Communications at lcrisman@harpercollege.edu .

Are you offering virtual personal training programs?
Yes, we are offering online personal training programs to keep you healthy and fit. Please contact Laura Crisman, Asst. Director of Programs and Communications at lcrisman@harpercollege.edu.

Are the Health and Recreation Center professional staff still working?
Yes, the Health and Recreation professional staff are working remotely as well as in the facility as needed. For staff contact information, please visit our Staff page.

Request a Refund

To request a refund for memberships, locker rentals and personal training please complete our online form here. Refunds generally take 7 to 10 business days to process.

Palatine Park District Programming

Will Palatine Park District programming continue at the Health and Recreation Center?

Palatine Park District programming held at the Health and Recreation Center is resuming in a phased plan. Currently swim team and reserved lap swimming for PPD pool pass holders is available. Reservations are required and no walk-ins are allowed.

For aquatic questions, please contact Anthony Demichael at ademichael@palatineparks.org. For more information, please visit the Palatine Park District website.

Facility Rentals

Are you accepting facility rental requests for summer and fall?

At this time, we are not signing agreements for summer or fall rentals. If your organization would like to make a rental request for summer or fall, please contact Veronica Tantoco at vtantoco@harpercollege.edu.Your rental request is not a guarantee of space, nor an obligation to rent; instead it is an interest in the space, if rentals open for summer or fall.

Other Health and Recreation Center Questions
If you have any questions related to the Health and Recreation Center or the Department of Campus Recreation, please email Julie Bearden, Director, at jbearden@harpercollege.edu.

Updated 3/11/2021