To discourage public gatherings the City of Seattle will be closing 15 parks this weekend, including Golden Gardens park and beach.
The closure will go into effect at 11pm today (April 10), and will include the following parks: Alki, Arboretum, Cal Anderson, Carkeek, Discovery, Gas Works, Green Lake, Golden Gardens, Kubota Garden, Lincoln, Magnuson, Seward, Volunteer, West Seattle Stadium, and Woodland. Parks will reopen Monday (April 12) at 4:30am.
Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan says the closure is necessary because residents are still gathering for pickup games, barbecues, and picnics in popular parks around the city.
“These are the beautiful weather days we crave all winter, but we are living in unprecedented times and the Governor’s order isn’t stay out – it’s stay home,” Mayor Durkan said in a statement about the weekend closure.
“Too many friends, residents and families are continuing to gathering for picnics, BBQs, basketball games, and group walks. Because we still are in danger of a spike in infections, hospitalizations and deaths we have to keep doing our part. Easing up on social distancing too early will put more people at risk, could overwhelm our health care system, and could delay the reopening of businesses.”
Seattle Parks staff and Seattle Police will be monitoring parks over the weekend to ensure compliance.
Neighborhood parks will remain open, and the 15 parks will be reopened on Monday. However, the closures could be extended and more widespread if visitors don’t follow safety guidelines.
As a reminder, parking lots at these popular parks will remain closed until the stay-home order is lifted.
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why not just arrest those gathering together. Not restrict all. i know the city doesn’t want to arrest drug dealers, but surely families can be locked up for 24 hrs. that should be a lesson.
looking forward to all the positive comments from all the lovilies here.
Every May 1st we’ve witnessed these wonderful Antifa folks coming to town to break things and cause chaos. Many from Oregon. While they’ve shifted to Olympia, do you suppose they’ll all be welcomed with open arms again this year?
So what will happen if people do gather at the parks ?
sadly, they will be forced to watch joe biden videos over and over
Nothing, the Seattle way relies on the concept that Seattleites like being told what they can and cannot do by the government, and the blindly follow along.
No, the Seattleite way is to be as lacking in common courtesy and common sense as possible.
There are more people out and about since the stay home order was put in place than before. And the holier than thou belligerence is effing astounding.
I’m unfortunately considered an essential worker and the behaviors I and others are seeing is mind blowing.
You people aren’t staying home. But you are getting more rude and more self entitled on a daily basis.
Fights in stores, people harrassing store workers for things beyond their control, harassment of people not wearing masks, etc…
Theres a stay at home order in place and NOONE is abiding by it. But many of you will complain that others aren’t when you are out and about ignoring the same thing.
If you’re so terrified of this disease that you will harass people for the same behavior your exhibiting, step back and look at your own behavior.
Better be careful here, you just upset the big left leaning apple cart. It’s chock full of feelings too.
Lots of finger wagging done by limousine liberals who know much more and are hovering above you.
This has to happen because people are idiots. Just yesterday I was walking my dog with my daughter….two joggers passed by us probably 1 ft away…and an idiot family of four walked right by us when my dog was laying down resting. Idiots.
I’m sure you’ll be fine, let us know when you get sick and die. As we can clearly see, everyone eating this reactionism up. How many jobs lost per death is acceptable to you; right now it’s at 1000.
Must fill you with joy to threaten people. YOU let US know when YOU die. Oh wait, we probably won’t care. Good luck
Go ahead keep living in fear, some folks just like the drama. Answer this question, at what point are the jobs lost not worth the lives saved? 1k to 1, 10k to 1, 100k to 1. At some point it’s not worth it. Do you honestly believe it’s ok for 1000 people to lose their jobs to save 1 life?
depends on whose life doesn’t it, smarty pants
CNN + MSLSD said so. So yes, they believe it. “The only thing we have to offer IS fear itself”. Perfect.
That ratio is so low because this is working to keep people alive. We should celebrate that rather than see it as a failing.
so you were walking out with these folks. and they are idiots???
Heads up to all you self-centered morons, it’s not just everyone else’s responsibility to get out of your way when you are walking around, so pull your head out and get a clue!
But you were out during a stay at home order. Do you really think you’re on some sort of high ground here?! Everybody in Ballard seems to think like you but noone wants to admit they’re doing the very thing they’re bitching about.
All of you need to stop acting like petulant children.
Isn’t this Ninny state fun stuff? Let’s add another 100,00 EXPERTS to this already over-crowded arena. All obedient, compliant conformists that will gladly tell you when and how to live YOUR life. Tribal.
That’s why we’ve moved out of Ballard to our vacation home in the mountains. Good luck out there and stay safe!