Washington reopening state parks and golf courses on May 5

Governor Jay Inslee announced on Monday the partial reopening of several outdoor recreation activities, easing some of the COVID-19 restrictions in Washington.

Several golf courses, as well as state parks and state public lands managed by the Department of Natural Resources, will be opened to the public on May 5 with new physical distancing measures in place, the governor said in a press release Monday.

“When I rolled out, ‘Stay Home, Stay Healthy’ over a month ago, difficult decisions were made to close state parks and public lands, golf facilities, and delaying hunting and fishing seasons. This was necessary to slow the spread of COVID-19, reduce travel and ultimately, save lives,” Inslee said in the release.

“Outdoor recreation is one of the best things we can do to promote physical, mental, and emotional well-being for Washingtonians during a time of great stress and isolation. And springtime in our state is Washington at its best and people want to be out enjoying outdoor activities in a safe and responsible way.”

• See also: 
  • Governor Jay Inslee orders Washingtonians to stay home and shelter-in-place
  • Washington to begin allowing low-risk construction to resume
  • Seattle will add three more neighborhoods to Stay Healthy Streets initiative tomorrow