OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) - Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert announced on Wednesday that all city parks will be closed until April 30.
The move comes amid the ongoing fight to help combat the coronavirus. Stothert added while most people have been compliant with the city's guidance, there was a lack of compliance on playgrounds and athletic fields last weekend.
Omaha Police Chief Schmaderer says the decision was made before the shooting in Benson Park Tuesday night that killed one and injured two.
Dog parks will also have to close since they're within city parks.
Omaha Police say vehicles in parks will be towed and people in the parks will be ticketed.
Douglas County Sheriff's Capt. Wayne Hudson says he will ask county health director Dr. Adi Pour to amend her health measure to include parks outside of Omaha so they can start enforcing it also.
Stothert says the city's trail system will remain open. Parks and Recreation Director Brook Bench says they've seen a huge spike with people on trails and requests people to slow down for the sake of everyone.
Public golf courses will also remain open for now since it's easier to control who comes in and out compared to parks. City golf courses have been allowing one person per cart.
Lakes in city parks are also closed.
You can watch the briefing below:
Chief about parks and their parking lots: We’re going to come in, issue citations, tow vehicles
— Jennifer Griswold (@griswoldkmtv) April 8, 2020
Example: you want to go to Zorinsky, you can hike the trail but you can’t use the playgrounds (effective last week), you can’t hang out in pavilions, you can’t use bathrooms (they’ve been closed), and YOU CANNOT PARK your car in the public lots there.
— Jennifer Griswold (@griswoldkmtv) April 8, 2020