UPDATE 3/27/2020 — As a precautionary measure to minimize opportunities for the transmission and spread of COVID-19, the City of Owensboro and our Parks & Recreation team are implementing closures to outdoor park amenities and sport courts. Those closed items are:
- Playgrounds
- Shelters
- Basketball Courts
- Volleyball Courts
- Soccer Fields
- Baseball/Softball Fields
- Tennis Courts
- Travis Aubrey Skate Park
- Legion Street Soccer Court
- Water Fountains
- and Park Restrooms
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The City of Owensboro and the Parks & Recreation team are implementing cancellation and closures through May 10 as a precautionary measure to minimize opportunities for the transmission and spread of COVID-19.
Outdoor basketball courts within city parks, Travis Aubrey Skate Park and Legion Park Street Soccer Court will all be closed. At Legion Park, the basketball rims have been removed from the backboards.
Parks & Recreation Director Amanda Rogers said these closures were made because the social distancing guidelines were not being followed.
“We 100 percent believe in the value of parks, especially right now,” she said. “We support that, but we need our park users to be responsible at this time.”
Recreation leagues, programs, lessons and events are all cancelled. Parks & Rec is asking the community to contact youth sports leagues that operate on city park properties directly for information on their plans.
In addition, the Edge Ice Center, Dugan Best Recreation Center, and the Owensboro Parks & Recreation Administrative Center are closed. Any currently scheduled program, private rental and/or birthday party at these facilities during this time are cancelled.
Outdoor parks are open and will continue on normal operating hours, including greenspace parks such as Legion, Moreland, Smothers, Kendall–Perkins, Adkisson Greenbelt, Hillcrest Golf Course and Ben Hawes Golf Course.
However, the Parks & Rec department also said for those who are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 to not use parks or trails, including the Adkisson Greenbelt.
While playgrounds are still open to the public at this time, Rogers said that could change in the future if social distancing recommendations aren’t followed.
“I’m a little torn about it,” she said. “We’ve had discussions back and forth about it. If it becomes an issue, we’ll have to take action with those like we did with the basketball courts, the soccer court and the skate park.”
Everyone is asked to follow guidelines from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. No more than 10 people will be allowed in any area at one time, including playgrounds.
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The Owensboro Health coronavirus hotline is available 24/7 by calling 877-888-6647. Call the hotline before seeking in-person care. More information from OH can be found here.
For the latest information and data on COVID-19 in Kentucky visit kycovid19.ky.gov or dial the Kentucky state hotline at 800-722-5725.
For the latest health guidelines and resources from the CDC, visit their website here.
