Walsh: Boston Playgrounds, Splash Pads Can Reopen June 15
BOSTON (CBS) – Boston Mayor Marty Walsh said Wednesday that city playgrounds and splash pads will open for the summer on June 15 with coronavirus precautions.
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker's phased reopening plan allowed for the facilities to reopen at city and towns' discretion.
Walsh said athletic fields and tennis courts are now open for non-contact activity. Team sports and group events are still prohibited.
With the latest wave of industries allowed to reopen in Phase Two of the state's plan, Walsh urged business owners not to rush back if they don't feel they are ready.
"Take cautious approaches to go the pace that is right for you and your employees," said Walsh. "Your workers, especially low income workers, low wage workers, may be afraid, and may have challenges dealing with childcare. I'm asking you to please communicate with them clearly and include them in your planning."
Walsh said businesses have been hit particularly hard by coronavirus and it is important for the city to help them in a timely fashion. So far, there have been 500 applications for outdoor dining and over 200 have been fully or conditionally approved.
"We have to move quickly to help our restaurants and our business district to survive," said Walsh.
The city's website has a complete list of restaurants in the city that are open.
As of Wednesday, restaurants in the North End are now among those who can open with outdoor dining.
"The restaurant industry, as we all know, has been hit especially hard during these times and we've made it a priority," said Walsh. "With outdoor dining allowed in Phase Two, we've been working across multiple departments to make it successful and make the reality for our restaurants a success as they recover from this crisis."
