Planning To Reopen - Parks, Open Space, Outdoor Education Programs

5/28/2020 (Permalink)

As we head into the summer months and the weather continues to warm it will become increasingly enticing to break free from the confines of our homes and venture into the great outdoors! However, the unfortunately reality is that until a treatment or vaccine for COVID-19 is available, life will not return to normal. We each have a collective responsibility to ensure that when we do choose to out we do so with the safety of ourselves and others around us. Remaining vigilant, following public health directives and using common sense to protect yourself, your family, your neighbors, and vulnerable populations across the Commonwealth is the best way to mitigate against the potential spread of COVID-19.

The state of Massachusetts has provided guidelines to follow as we once again explore the outside world. 

As always, work with your local health officials to determine a set of strategies appropriate for your community’s situation.

(See our "Planning to Reopen series of blogs for more information regarding CDC, EPA, FDA, and OSHA safety requirements). To review the administration's reopening guidance from the state click here. To view Governor Baker's full report click here).

The Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EOEEA) has provided guidelines to follow for all visitors to parks and any open spaces. According to the Massachusetts EOEEA all visitors over the age of 2 to parks and open space, as well as those participating in outdoor education programs should wear a face covering or mask when they cannot maintain 6 feet of distance between themselves and others. Groups larger than 10 are not allowed to gather together. Allowable activities in parks and open spaces and other designated areas such as rail trails, multi-use paths, and bike paths are;

• Walking
• Hiking
• Biking
• Running 
• Yoga, Tai Chi, etc.

Visitors should always practice CDC social distancing standards by remaining 6 feet away from others as well as  adhering to all site-specific rules, regulations, and posted signage regarding permitted uses. When on trails, walker and hikers should move aside and leave room for others to pass, and cyclists and runners should alert other users when approaching and wait for others to step aside before passing. Remember to always wash your hands or use hand sanitizer after visiting public spaces.

Athletic fields and athletic courts can be utilized only for non-contact sports, with no shared equipment. Visitors should not engage in any type of pick-up games, organized games or tournaments.

Athletic Fields Guidelines:

• Users should sanitize hands before and after play, not share equipment, and clean and wipe down equipment.
• When engaged in play, users should avoid touching other users’ equipment in separate areas.
• Users waiting to utilize a section or area of the field should wait outside the field of play until previous users have vacated the facility to ensure proper social distancing and prevent accidental contact of other users’ equipment.

Athletic Courts (Non-Contact) Guidelines:

• Users should sanitize hands before and after play, not share equipment and clean and wipe down equipment, including racquets, balls, and water bottles.
• Users waiting to utilize a court should wait outside the court’s gates/fence until previous users have vacated the facility to ensure proper social distancing and prevent accidental contact of other users’ equipment.

Picnic Areas and Grills

Picnic and grill areas should be closed if social distancing cannot be maintained and sanitizing protocols cannot be performed between use.

The availability of trash disposal receptacles and restrooms facilities will be at the discretion of local municipalities. As such, visitors of public parks, reservations, and open spaces should expect limited or no trash disposal receptacles. When visiting public properties without trash receptacles, visitors should adhere to a strict “carry in, carry out” policy and take waste with them. When access to public restrooms has been granted users should abide by CDC social distancing standards for bathroom lines and follow any established visual guidelines for maintaining a 6 ft distance in all restroom facilities. Users must wash or sanitize their hands when finished.

Dog Walking

When permissible dog walkers should adhere to the following guidelines.

• All dog walkers and their dogs should practice social distancing, and users should provide appropriate space for others and/or their dogs to pass when necessary.
• Social distancing for dogs means that dogs not part of the same household should be kept at least six feet apart and avoid interacting with other dogs and other people from separate households. 
• Dog walkers should not share toys, treats, or other materials with dogs that are not within the same household.
• Dog walkers should supply their own bags associated with dog waste in the event there are none available on site and remove dog and other waste and dispose of it either in a designated receptacle onsite or at another appropriate location.
• Dog walkers should supply their own water and other needs for their pets in the event there are none available onsite.
• All users of dog parks and their dogs should practice social distancing of at least six or more feet.
• All visitors of dog parks should maintain enough control over their pets via leash or voice control to comply with social distancing guidelines and site-specific rules and regulations.
• Dog park amenities, including shared water dishes, toys, and other materials, should not be used by dogs or handled by visitors.
• Visitors of dog parks should supply their own bags associated with dog waste in the event there are none available onsite and take dog waste with them if designated trash receptacles are not available for normal use. 

Community Gardens

Those who choose to visit community gardens should, in addition to following social distancing guidelines,  avoid utilizing communal tools, hoses, and other equipment, and avoid the sharing of personal equipment whenever possible. Additionally, users are responsible for sanitizing items before and after each use. When social distancing guideline can not be followed visitors should only visit and utilize plots with members of their same household. 

Organized Educational Programs

Organized educational programs, activities and outdoor public art installations may occur in outdoor spaces during Phase 1 only if the program does not require individual participants to share equipment or make physical contact in order to engage in the activity, subject to the following guidelines.

• To allow for adequate social distancing for the activity, as well as ingress and egress, the layout of the class should be managed to accommodate a minimum of 12 ft distance between each individual activity station.
• Facial coverings are required, and instructor and participants must always comply with all social distancing requirements and remain 6 ft apart. Programs must be conducted without shared equipment, tools or materials
• Activities must be limited to gatherings of no more than 10, including instructor or leader.
• Organizers must use a pre-registration process to ensure group size.
• Instructors must be familiar with all protocols and procedures to maintain a safe activity, e.g. monitoring physical distancing, not allowing participants without facial coverings, disinfecting tables before and after use in accordance with CDC guidelines.
• Temporary signage will be posted to inform the public of public health guidelines and standards of behavior during program
• If using outdoor displays or tables when possible add protective barriers and disinfect before and after use.

We will continue to share with you guidance from the CDC, EPA, FDA, OSHA and the Governor's office to follow as we prepare for reopening. Also, we at SERVPRO of Newton/Wellesley know that not every business has access to the resources necessary to meet these strict guidelines. For those businesses, we are here to help!

Specialized Training

The Disaster Remediation Teams at SERVPRO of Newton/Wellesley are specialists in cleaning services and we adhere to the highest cleaning and sanitation standards. We are prepared to clean and disinfect your home or business, according to protocols set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We have years of experience in dealing with biological contaminants, and we will go beyond the scope of work of "normal daily cleaning". Call SERVPRO of Newton/Wellesley today for a free consultation - (617) 332-9000.

All of us here at SERVPRO of Newton/Wellesley want you and your loved ones to stay safe and know that we will make it through this together! Rest assured, we will continue to do our best to keep you up-to-date and informed!