Roswell may consider reopening parks and park facilities as soon as this week.
City Council voted in March to close parks and facilities -- indoor gyms, outdoor gym equipment, fields, playgrounds and parking lots.
Mayor Lori Henry, in a statement released Tuesday, said they might open sooner if the general statewide shelter-in-place order expires Thursday, as expected. A statewide shelter-in-place order for those at high risk to the coronavirus expires May 13.
Henry stressed that city parks currently remain closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. In addition, Old Mill Park at Vickery Creek, the Heart of Roswell Park, Barrington Hall and Bulloch Hall and the grounds at the historic sites are closed.
“I understand how frustrating this whole situation is,” said Henry. “We all want to get back to our lives the way they were before this pandemic. If we follow public health guidelines, we will get through this sooner rather than later. We are all in this together. Let’s keep our community safe and healthy.”
Many green spaces were still accessible to the public when the city first issued a state of emergency in March. However, the mayor said many people were not maintaining the recommended social distance and parks were closed.
“Our wonderful parks and their facilities are a regional draw that bring many people from outside of the city,” said Henry. “We found that people were not following the (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) guidelines. My number one priority as mayor of Roswell is to protect the health, safety and welfare of our citizens.”
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