Detroit City Wire

City of Detroit issued the following announcement on March 21.

• Officials recommend open areas and avoiding "high touch point" surfaces such as playscapes and exercise equipment 

 Over the past five years, the City of Detroit has renovated or made major improvements to more than 150 city parks. While the milder temperatures make it more tempting to take advantage of some of those new assets, Detroit Parks & Recreation officials wants to encourage safe park usage during COVID-19.

Recent evidence suggests that the COVID-19 virus can live for several days on surfaces such as playgrounds and other “high touch” areas in public spaces. For this reason, Parks & Recreation officials are encouraging residents to refrain from using playgrounds or other park amenities, such as playscapes, exercise equipment or other recreation equipment, and instead focus on taking long walks or bike rides and practice social distancing of at least 6 feet from other individuals.

Take these precautionary steps when visiting your local park:

• Do not use parks or trails if you are exhibiting symptoms. Instead call the Detroit Health Department at 313-876-4000 for guidance.
• Be prepared for limited access to public restrooms or water fountains.
• Observe CDC’s minimum recommended social distancing of 6” from other persons at all times.
• Follow CDC’s guidance on personal hygiene prior to visiting parks or trails.

To reduce the spread of COVID-19, the City of Detroit has closed all of its recreation centers through April 5, 2020. Park facilities such as clubhouses, community centers, and public restrooms will also remain closed during this time. Park maintenance and trash pick-up will continue at all city parks weekly as scheduled.

All facility rentals and park permits through April 5, 2020 have been cancelled with full refunds. Facility rentals and park permits will be accepted for April 6th and beyond.

For more information on the city’s response to COVID-19, visit www.detroitmi.gov/coronavirus.

Original source can be found here.

Source: City of Detroit