CLEVELAND — The city of Cleveland will keep several locations shut down for much (if not all) of the summer due to the coronavirus pandemic, but plans to gradually reopen some spots in the coming weeks and months.
The new "Restart Cleveland" plan issued Wednesday by Mayor Frank G. Jackson says the city plans to reopen 18 of its 22 rec centers on July 6, although strict social distancing measures will be in place and staff must wear masks and regularly disinfect spaces. Guests will also be subjected to time and capacity limits in some instances.
The following centers will remain closed through the end of the summer:
- Kovacic
- Hamilton (except for the indoor pool)
- Halloran
- Stella Walsh
- Camp George Forbes
Indoor pools at rec centers will be open to the public, but maximum capacity will be reduced and patrons can only stay in the water for a certain amount of time. All outdoor pools will not be open at all this summer, and playgrounds will also be off-limits until further notice.
The plan did not specify how certain large events (such as "The Feast" in Little Italy) would be allowed to proceed, other than to say such events would not be allowed at parks and no park use permits would be issued. Parks themselves will still be open, albeit with signs letting people know of health and safety guidelines.
As for sports, all outdoor basketball courts will remain closed, and indoor courts will be open only for instruction and not for organized or pickup games. In addition, the city's youth golf program has been canceled, racquetball courts will only be allowed to have one person at a time, and tennis courts can only host singles matches.
The Cleveland Youth Baseball Academy will be able to hold practices, but no games between teams will take place for the time being. Private baseball and softball leagues will also not be permitted to use the city's fields.
Except for baseball, all rec center field trips requiring buses or vans have been put on hold. However, the free "grab-and-go" lunch program for children ages 18 and under will continue, with staff wearing masks and gloves.
More than 1,600 cases of the coronavirus have been reported among Cleveland residents, including 58 in the past 24 hours (the largest day-to-day spike since the pandemic began. Of those, 44 have died.
You can read the full "Restart Cleveland" plan below: