The parks have been our solace in these troubled times but EVERYONE must obey the COVID-19 rules or Pittsburgh’s parks will close as they have in other cities.
A message from the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy:
Pittsburgh, it’s in our hands to keep the parks open. We have to follow the guidelines set by the City of Pittsburgh, our national government, and the CDC.
Be safe in #PittsburghParks – practice physical distancing (6-8 feet) – wash your hands before and after a park visit – avoid surfaces: benches, railings, fences, exercise equipment – playgrounds are closed – basketball hoops have been removed – tennis/pickleball courts closed – sports fields closed – no contact sports – no playdates in parks for kids – no pavilions – park facilities and amenities are closed – no restrooms, water fountains, etc. – if you are experiencing symptoms stay home!
9 April 2020 update: The City of Pittsburgh added restrictions to basketball, tennis and sports last week because people were not maintaining physical distance.
Pittsburghers, it’s up to us to keep our parks open. Maintain physical distance!
(images from the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy; altered slightly by Kate St. John)
Families five across not moving over for others. Kids running everywhere. Bikers being their usual rude near-collision jerks. Please stay conscious so we can continue to go to the park.
Forest Hills parks already closed.
This is my nightmare. Watching spring arrive is the one thing keeping me sane in a crazy world. I do realize that I’m sincerely lucky if stress continues to be my biggest problem and my family stays well. But watching the wildflowers bloom and the birds return is a joy I will find it hard to go without. I’m finding many of the Pittsburgh city parks and the Allegheny County Parks to presently be too crowded for me to feel safe in them, and I’m seeing too many public displays of unsafe behavior. So far I’m feeling much safer in parks where hiking is the only recreational option. Social distancing is easiest in parks that have smaller parking lots and larger acreage. But they are mostly far from the urban centers where people may need a park the most.