Fort Mill just voted to reopen some of its parks. Here’s what the public can do now.
Fort Mill will reopen its green space, allowing residents to use certain areas of parks again with continued social distancing.
Fort Mill Town Council voted Monday night not to extend an emergency measure set to expire this week, which closed parks back in March due to COVID-19 and state social distancing orders. Council voted to allow use of green space at parks and tennis courts starting May 12. Trails remain open.
Indoor recreation facilities and all playgrounds, park restrooms and picnic shelters will remain closed.
Mayor Guynn Savage said continued social distancing to reduce the risk of coronavirus is key, though the town only can do so much to enforce it.
“We must ask our community to participate in a way that we’re working hard to allow,” she said.
Playgrounds remain closed due to continued state orders, plus no direction to park officials thus far on cleaning measures it would take to open them. The town opted not to open indoor spaces like basketball gyms. Town leaders Monday night wanted to identify park uses least likely to congregate people too close together for safety.
“That’s a coin toss,” Savage said. “There are many, many people that are trying so hard to do the things that show respect to their families and others. And then there are others that, you know, choose their own path.”
Outdoor green spaces and trails are the first phase of openings recommended at the state level. Athletic fields and playgrounds would come with continued decline of coronavirus cases. The vote Monday night doesn’t impact town athletic programs or field rentals, which remain suspended.
“We would like to remind the community that we are not opening any of these parks and green spaces for organized practices, events, or rentals, but solely for individuals and families to be able to enjoy the outdoors,” said Brown Simpson, town parks and recreation director. “The community must also still follow any orders from the governor.”
Simpson said he’s monitored other areas like Tega Cay that recently opened its parks with social distancing measures. There haven’t been major issues there, he said. Town leaders say they don’t typically encourage use of outfield space, for example, at Dobys Bridge Park but will allow non-organized activity use.
“This would just be more for exercise,” Simpson said.
Town leaders say they’ve seen soccer, football and picnics at Elisha Park. Police were contacted at least once about people gathering in closed parks. Savage said she received a letter from a child asking her to open parks, arguing the back yard at home wasn’t big enough.
Savage said it’s a challenge to determine when and how much to allow usage of parks everyone wants to access, in a way that keeps people safe.
“I don’t want anyone to get sick because of a decision that we’ve made,” she said.
Savage said town trails haven’t been closed and she understands people need outlets, even during the pandemic. Town trails and walkways will remain open.
“That is necessary aid to health and wellbeing of our community,” Savage said.
Because changes come through emergency ordinance due to coronavirus, council can change what is and isn’t closed at any time. Council will reassess park usage when it meets in two weeks, if not sooner. Like everything else in town, said Councilwoman Lisa Cook, COVID-19 can impact parks at any time.
“It is changing very quickly,” she said.
This story was originally published May 12, 2020 at 11:21 AM.
