Portland Parks and Rec will not reopen community centers or pools for summer

May 12 2020, 6:36 pm

Portland Parks and Recreation announced that, while some parks around the state are slowly reopening to the public, the City’s community centers and pools will remain closed through the summer.

Neighborhood parks and trails are open, assuming all attendees maintain physical distancing and best practices laid out by the state’s health department. With that, the Parks Department has issued greeters to many major visitation locations to educate and inform the public about regulations as they arrive.

Regardless of the progress made by the public in Oregon, and the newly minted phased plan to reopen the economy in the state further, the Parks Department have made the difficult decision to keep some facilities closed for the foreseeable future.

“Due to the ongoing impacts of COVID-19, we will be unable to open our community centers or outdoor pools this summer,” writes Director Adena Long in a press release. “We must also cancel all summer programming and events, including outdoor camps, Summer Free For All, and the Portland World Soccer Tournament.”

“This is difficult news to share, and we will miss you this summer.”

In addition to the unfortunate announcement, the parks team also revealed that they have been building out a program to bring recreational programs to citizens via the internet. This new Stay and Play program features YouTube videos that perform exercises in visual arts, sports, performance arts, preschool activities, fitness, and more.

“We want Portland kids, families, and seniors to stay healthy, learn new things, play, and be entertained,” writes Long.

While the list of open parks in Oregon continues to evolve and shift, Tuesday’s announcement that there will be no in-person programs or access to community centers or pools in and around Portland will greatly impact our summer.

Hopefully, the Stay and Play program can diminish the impact on families in the city, as they adapt to a summer without normality and access.

Wyatt FossettWyatt Fossett

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