You are reading

Holden Wants City Parks, Beaches and Golf Courses to Reopen Under Phase One

CM Robert Holden (NYC Council via Flickr)

June 6, 2020 By Michael Dorgan

Council Member Robert Holden has called on the city to reopen parks and other public spaces as part of Phase 1.

The lawmaker wrote to Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver Thursday demanding that public parks, beaches, tennis courts and golf courses be made available to the public from June 8.

Holden said residents need access to these facilities for their physical and mental well-being following months of lockdown due to COVID-19.

“During these strenuous times, it is critical that NYC Parks help provide these resources, and I believe they can safely reopen with strict enforcement of social distancing and mask-wearing,” Holden wrote.

New York City is set to begin re-opening parts of the economy on Monday, with construction, agriculture, hunting, manufacturing and wholesale trade employees returning to work.

However many city parks and playgrounds will remain closed. Holden said that two parks in his district – Frank Principe Park in Maspeth and Evergreen Park in the Ridgewood and Glendale area – have been shuttered for months.

Holden said there is no state order mandating that entire parks to be closed. Therefore, he said, he wants all city parks and playgrounds re-opened under phase one.

“Areas outside of the playgrounds should also be open and available to park-goers, such as the space around the playground at Public School 68 in Ridgewood,” he wrote.

Holden also wants the city’s beaches to open up with strictly enforced rules. All New York City beaches remain closed for swimming although residents can visit as long as they are socially distanced.

In addition, tennis courts, golf courses, dog runs, and other public areas where social distancing can be applied should be opened up, he said.

email the author: news@queenspost.com
No comments yet

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

MTA bus slams into pole in Flushing, injuring eight passengers: NYPD

The driver of the Q20A bus was traveling westbound on 57th Road just south of Kissena Corridor Park at 5:58 a.m. when he made a right turn onto Main Street, jumped the curb, and slammed into a light pole at the intersection of Booth Memorial Avenue and Main Street, an MTA spokesman said. There were seven passengers on the bus when it crashed. They were transported by EMS to New York-Presbyterian Hospital with minor complaints of pain, according to the NYPD spokesman.

The Q20A bus had significant front-end damage, and an MTA spokesman said the bus operator is being withheld from service pending the investigation. No criminality is suspected, and the investigation remains ongoing, the NYPD spokesman said.