Many Parks Restrictions Lifted

Individuals playing basketball at Kern Park on May 15th. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.

Milwaukee County Parks announced it is starting to lift a number of the restrictions put into place at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As of today, all playgrounds, outdoor fitness equipment stations, basketball and tennis courts, dog parks and disc golf courses are open to the public. The Root River disc golf course will remain temporarily closed due to flooding.

“We want you to have fun in the parks, but safely,” said Jen Francis, interim parks director. “And the virus isn’t gone yet, so please use your best judgment when leaving the house.”

Francis said anyone using these parks facilities should continue to practice social distancing and use hand sanitizer before and after touching public surfaces, as the parks department will not be cleaning and disinfecting the equipment. Parks patrons will notice new signage indicating they are “use at your own risk areas.”

Also, the Active Streets program, which closes off streets and parkways to motor vehicle traffic, opening them up to public use, is coming to Estabrook Park. The Estabrook Parkway will be blocked off. Parking lots at the north and south end of the park will remain open.

Over the long holiday weekend, and as the weather continues to improve, it is important that people continue to follow social distancing precautions in the parks, such as maintaining at least six feet from others and wearing masks she said.

Large gatherings or crowds of people in the parks “may impact the degree of openness in the future,” said Francis. If safe park use can’t be followed without the restrictions that were lifted today, those rules may return.