Parks threaten to close if social distancing is not followed.
Parks threaten to close if social distancing is not followed.
Park districts are finding some are not following social distancing guidelines and have threatened to shut down if people do not heed the guidelines.
The assistant superintendent of the parks took a walk last week to see if the playground was still blocked off with caution tape in response to the governor's stay-at-home order. What he found was a large group of senior citizens that were packed on a tennis court playing pickleball. A total of 35 residents were not following the stay-at-home order or the social distancing guidelines.
"He found over 35 senior citizens inside a fenced tennis court playing pickleball," Executive Director Mike Clark told The Daily Herald. "I personally don't understand how people think that's appropriate, so, unfortunately, I had to take a hard stance."
Park districts and forest preserves keep running into the same issues since the orders were enacted. While government officials have indicated people can still go outside for their mental health, some residents are not following the six-feet part rule of social distancing. When outside, the social distancing rules still apply.
Steps have been taken to prevent residents from playing basketball and going on the playground. Now tennis courts have been shut down as well.
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