The Plant City Recreation and Parks Department announced Monday it’s taken further steps to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, this time by closing all city parks.
“To follow CDC COVID-19 guidelines recommending cancelation of activities with 10 or more participants, Plant City is following the lead of Hillsborough County, Polk County and City of Tampa by officially closing all city parks,” director Jack Holland said in a news release.
Previously, on March 16, the department left parks open but suspended all formal programming (like sports leagues, recreation center events, pavilion/rec center rentals and events) through May 10.
The lone exception to the change applies to cemeteries, but those are only open to groups of fewer than 10 people at a time. Interment requests will be handled by phone and paperwork will be filled out only with a funeral home representative or a family member. Pre-need space sales are not being done at this time. Call the cemetery office at 813-707-7429 or email cemeteryinfo@plantcitygov.com with interment location questions.
Though the department still plans to kick off its annual summer program on June 8, restrictions on public-facing offices mean helping walk-up customers is no longer an option and the start of the registration period for the eight-week program has been delayed. Anyone with questions is asked to call the Planteen Recreation Center at 813-659-4256 or email recinfo@plantcitygov.com.
Because the virus has created an extremely fluid situation for virtually every public service, plans may change and people should keep an eye on the department’s website, plantcitygov.com/parksrec, for updates as they happen.