Updated: Lexington closes playing fields, golf courses over coronavirus outbreak
Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton said the city will close all city park playing fields, golf courses and two large natural areas on Friday to enforce social distancing and halt the spread of the coronavirus.
The city parks will remain open but all athletic fields, golf courses and skate parks are off limits, said Monica Conrad, director of Lexington Parks and Recreation at a press conference on Friday.
McConnell Springs and Raven Run will also be closed. The closures take effect Friday night, Conrad said.
Rental facilities are closed and all parks programming is canceled until April 20.
Gorton said the reports of people gathering in large groups at parks “is absolutely disappointing and is endangering lives.”
The parks are too packed, not allowing for social distancing, she said.
“We have been overrun,” Gorton said. “It’s warm, it has been sunny, and hundreds of people have been attracted to our parks, our natural areas and our golf courses. Even our trails in remote areas are crowded. While we are glad so many people are visiting our facilities, our visitors are not maintaining proper social distancing, and that’s dangerous,” Gorton said.
Playgrounds at the city’s parks will remain open, Conrad said. But they are asking people to maintain appropriate social distancing on playgrounds. The city’s six dog parks will also remain open for now, city officials said.
Lexington’s announcement came just a day after Gov. Andy Beshear asked mayors and county judge-executives to monitor activities in local parks and restrict access if there were large groups gathering. Beshear said the state has received reports of people playing basketball and having parties in campgrounds.
“If you are going to the park and playing a game of basketball, you are spreading the coronavirus right now,” Beshear said.
Thursday and Friday’s warm temperatures sent many house-bound Lexington residents to one of the county’s 100 parks.
Woodland Park in downtown Lexington was packed Thursday night. Also busy was Lexington Cemetery, a popular spring attraction when flowers are in bloom.
Other cities have enacted similar bans on athletic fields.
Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer closed city park playgrounds and closed many basketball courts on Tuesday. In addition, many Kentucky national forest and national recreation areas have closed campgrounds and shelters to enforce social distancing and stop large groups from meeting up.
By Thursday, Kentucky’s largest city had removed basketball hoops and took down nets from tennis courts to stop group play. Covington has also implemented similar measures.
Conrad said Friday Lexington had already begun to take down many of its nets and hoops.
Kentucky state park campgrounds remain open but many playgrounds have been closed, park officials said Thursday.
Enforcing rules against group play is complicated.
For example, Lexington police have also received calls about parties or larger gatherings of more than 10 people at houses. But there’s nothing Lexington police can do.
“Not engaging in social distancing is not a criminal violation,” said Brenna Angel, a spokeswoman for the Lexington Police Department.
Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Weathers said during Friday’s press conference that when police do find large gatherings they try to remind people that social distancing is a civic duty.
“We’re not at the point where it is a police matter,” Weathers said. “It’s more of an educational matter.”
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The coronavirus has spread when people gathered for parties or other socializing. At least six people associated with a St. Patrick’s Day Party in Lexington have tested positive for the novel coronavirus .
This story was originally published March 27, 2020 at 12:17 PM.
