The City of Deerfield Beach started a phased approach to reopening yesterday, Wednesday, April 29.
This first phase of the plan, they say, includes “the partial reopening of parks for passive use with strict adherence to social distancing requirements and CDC guidelines including, but not limited to, social/physical distancing, face coverings, sanitation/disinfection procedures, hours of operation, capacity limitations and/or registrations. In this phase, beaches will remain closed.”
Reopening in this initial phase are Deerfield Beach passive parks with open green space and trails (playgrounds, pavilions, and structures remain closed). Also, tennis center/courts (single play only), Pioneer Park Boat Ramp (residents and boat trailer parking pass holders only), International Fishing Pier for resident anglers only with limited capacity and no fishing equipment rentals (no sightseers), golf courses (with restrictions), and swimming pools located within multi-family developments, condominium developments, condominium hotels, or single-family homeowner associations and maintain 6 ft. social distancing guidelines as well as limiting to no greater than 50% capacity. Additionally, management at these developments must comply with the following conditions:
Pool and pool deck are to be used only by current residents of the development. Face coverings are worn at all times by individuals seeking to access the pool or pool deck through areas where such social distancing cannot be maintained, including in elevators, doorways, and hallways. (Face coverings do not need to be worn while swimming.)
Employees of the development must sanitize the pool chairs, railings, gates, tables, showers, and other equipment after each individual use or all furnishings are to be removed from the pool deck.
Pool and pool deck areas are to be supervised at all hours in which they are open by a sufficient number of employees or other person(s) designated by the housing development to ensure appropriate social distancing as recommended by current CDC guidance.
“This will allow residents to get out of the house and improve physical and mental health while still socially distancing,” said Deerfield Beach Mayor Bill Ganz. “This is the first step to reopening our City with a long road ahead of us. If all goes well and we continue to see a drop in the number of cases, we will be able to loosen even more restrictions when deemed appropriate by the healthcare community. Still, we have to be successful at this phase and maintain up our social distancing and stay at home efforts. So far, our community is doing a great job.”
Several parks will reopen from dawn to dusk daily for walking, running, skating, cycling, or general exercise, as generally permitted at the park. They include Constitution Park, Cornerstone Park, Branhilda Richardson Knowles Park, North Crystal Heights, Central Crystal Heights, South Crystal Heights, Deer Run Park, Ecidar Park, Johnie McKeithen Park, Mayo Howard Park, Oveta McKeithen, Pastor Willie James Ford Sr. Linear Park, Pioneer Park, Riverglen Park, Sullivan Park, Tennis Center at Pioneer Park, Trailhead Park, Trailhead Linear Park, Villages of Hillsboro Park, SE 15 Street Park, and SE 19 Street Park.
All playgrounds and park structures are off-limits and organized, and recreational programs and events continue to be suspended. Social gatherings of groups of more than 10 people continue to be prohibited. Social/physical distancing of 6 ft. continues to be required. Face masks are recommended at all times and required when providing essential services or visiting essential businesses.
Tennis centers and courts’ hours will vary: Deerfield Beach Tennis Center, 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday and Sunday; Constitution Tennis Courts, 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and other park tennis courts, dusk to dawn. Courts are limited to single play only.
At Pioneer Park Boat Ramp, there will only be one boat per launch ramp, and the vessel must be prepared in advance to launch. The boat ramp is open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. The International Fishing Pier will have a limited capacity (25 maximum with a 10 feet distancing requirement for Deerfield Beach residents only) for fishing only from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
All parks will be heavily monitored by City staff and the Broward Sherrif’s Office. Any facility or park not listed in this communication indicates that it remains closed.
For additional information, visit www.dfb.city/covid19. If you have questions about COVID-19, you are encouraged to call the Broward County COVID-19 hotline at 954-357-9500. For social services, call 954-597-3620 or dial 211 for Broward County’s 24/7 helpline.
