[Ski]

Alert: Metro Parks Program and Facility Update 03/28/20 These facilities are closed until further notice: Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium Northwest Trek Wildlife Park All four community centers (Eastside, STAR, People’s, Norpoint) Tacoma Nature Center W.W. Seymour Conservatory Fort Nisqually Living History Museum Meadow Park Golf Course and Foley’s on the Green Restaurant Point Defiance Marina, Boathouse and public fishing pier Exceptions to the Marina closure include: Public boat launch remains open Locker tenants continue to have access to their personal storage lockers, but will not have access to MPT services such as the boat lift or retail shop. Metro Parks Headquarters 51 playgrounds, 48 sport courts, 27 picnic shelters and 8 skate parks are closed Parking lot gates are closed at parks that have them, including Chinese Reconciliation Park, Brown’s Point, Stewart Heights, and Tacoma Nature Center, among others. The gates to Point Defiance Park will be closed at the Pearl and Mildred street entrances. This means Five Mile Drive is also closed to motor vehicles. All of the park district’s 31 public restrooms are closed Canceled until further notice: All programs are canceled, including indoor, outdoor, and volunteer work parties. All facility rentals — including community center rooms, the Point Defiance Pagoda, Titlow Lodge, Wapato and Dune pavilions, etc. — are canceled. Parks remain open for visitors to walk, cycle and enjoy nature. However, Metro Parks has closed playgrounds, sports courts, picnic shelters and skate parks to support Gov. Jay Inslee’s orders to discourage groups from gathering, as well as to address the workload the park district can accommodate with diminished staffing levels. As the Governor said in his “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order, people are encouraged to take care of themselves by visiting local parks. Per the Governor’s orders, park visitors are asked to use open spaces and trails responsibly: practice social distancing (6 feet from anyone), bring hand sanitizer, and take all belongings and trash home. In other words, “pack it in, pack it out.” Most of these closed amenities are out in the open and cannot be fully secured or locked. Metro Parks is asking the public to honor this closure notice as part of the community’s collective response and individual responsibility to keep everyone safe. We will continue evaluating the situation with public health authorities and other partners. Our staff members are handling a high rate of phone calls, and we ask for your patience as we work through these issues. We know that Metro Parks facilities provide important benefits and services to the community, and these closures and cancellations will have real impacts. We remain in contact with partner agencies and community service providers as we contemplate the consequences of all these actions. We encourage you to keep checking this page for updates. GUIDELINES FOR VISITING PARKS DURING COVID-19 We believe that parks are essential for mental and physical well-being but during the COVID-19 outbreak please remember that they are great places to be for solitary recreation, not group activities. If it’s crowded choose another trail, beach or go to a different park. Maintain a distance of 6′ from others. Read more about social distancing at www.tpchd.org/coronavirus. Taking personal responsibility for yourself and your family can go a long way toward helping you stay healthy: Stay 6 feet away from other people Avoid crowded playgrounds Wash your hands Bring your own hand sanitizer and use it Don’t touch your face if you can help it Avoid sick people Cover your coughs and sneezes Clean things Stay home if you’re sick Stay informed - MetroParks Tacoma -