Fort Lauderdale To Reopen Certain Parks, Marinas, Boat Ramps & Golf Courses
FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) – The city of Fort Lauderdale will be reopening certain parks, marinas, boat ramps and golf courses on Wednesday.
However, beaches, basketball courts, community centers, dog parks, indoor gyms, outdoor fitness equipment, park offices, pavilions, playgrounds, restrooms, splash pads, sports fields, swimming pools and water fountains. will remain closed.
All organized athletic leagues, games, practices, tournaments, recreation programs, and special events will remain suspended.
Click here for the list of Fort Lauderdale parks, boat ramps and other amenities reopening daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Daily.
Along the busy Las Olas corridor, there are discussions about closing down the roadways on Las Olas Boulevard to allow more space for walking and social distancing while allowing restaurants more outdoor dining space. City leaders are also considering waiving parking fees downtown to encourage visitors.
On A1A, the city started a pilot program last weekend by shutting down one lane for more walking room and it's expected they will continue that program next weekend.
City Manager Chris Lagerbloom said Mayor Dean Trantalis put together a working group to study these reopening questions and the plans remain in the works.
"We're still planning for Phase One we just want to make sure that when we get there, we're ready," Lagerbloom said.
Other ideas the city is considering include creating seniors-only time on beaches, mandating single use menus at restaurants and putting hand sanitizing stations almost everywhere you turn.
The city is also considering having employees and customers at restaurants, hotels and businesses, like hair salons and barber shops, to get their temperature taken. If they're sick, they'll have to leave.
"What the medical community tells us is that fever is a good indicator of disease, whether it's this COVID-19 virus or another illness," Lagerbloom said.
Lagerbloom said a big factor in reopening is seeing a downward trend in coronavirus cases as well as robust testing for the illness.
"That criteria needs to be that we have sufficient tests for medical first responders so that we can have them tested as they need to be," Lagerbloom said.
As we took pictures of Las Olas on Tuesday night we saw a lot of people walking, exercising and sightseeing. Cliff Farrington was out with his family. He said he's ready for opportunities to begin returning to normal and believes some of the ideas the city is considering seem worthwhile.
"It will be a transition, but that's kind of where we are right now," Farrington said.
City political and business leaders want to strike the balance between opening businesses and encouraging confidence in residents while keeping everyone safe.
"I don't know that we have a precise timeline. It's all gonna be driven by data and medical science and what the folks at the Department of Health are telling us," Lagerbloom said.
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