City of Gainesville to start reopening playgrounds today

Press release from City of Gainesville

Out of an abundance of caution for the health and well-being of our neighbors, the City of Gainesville kept its playgrounds closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. A Phase III reopening plan for city playgrounds has been thoughtfully prepared by staff and is ready for implementation today, October 16.

Please note that several, but not all, city playgrounds will reopen today. The remainder are expected to open by October 23. View the list here. City leaders encourage social distancing and the use of masks when visiting parks, playgrounds, and facilities.  

A thorough assessment of our community’s readiness has been conducted and we currently meet most published gating criteria established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The first step was to ensure that adequate staffing was available to maintain proper sanitation practices and that playground patrons properly adhere to social distancing protocols.  

City leaders have worked diligently to make informed decisions and assess the level of risk under the guidance of public health officials. We know that our neighbors are eager to return to normalcy and the City is committed to restoring operations for all recreational activities when we are confident that we can do so safely.