Press release

Sullivan County closing all parks

Posted

MONTICELLO, NY – In order to protect public health and safety due to the spread of COVID-19, the Sullivan County Legislature has authorized the closure of all park facilities (trails, parking lots, boat ramps, restrooms, playgrounds) beginning at noon on April 8. Barricades will be placed at County Park parking lots and trailheads notifying the public of the closures, and the Sheriff’s Office and local police will regularly patrol for and ticket any violators.

“This decision was not reached lightly or easily,” explained Legislature Chairman Robert Doherty. “But based on the advice of our health leaders, it is crucial to maintain strict social distancing at these properties, and the most effective method is to temporarily shut them down.”

The affected facilities include:
· Lake Superior State Park in Bethel
· Stone Arch Bridge Historical Park in Kenoza Lake
· Minisink Battleground Park in Barryville
· D&H Canal Linear Park in Wurtsboro and Summitville
· Livingston Manor Covered Bridge Park

Fort Delaware Museum of Colonial History in Narrowsburg remains closed for the season, and the Sullivan County Cultural Center & Museum in Hurleyville was closed earlier this year.

All requests for park usage, including public gatherings and education programs, are canceled. The Office of Parks, Recreation and Beautification will work with all park permit holders to issue a full refund or reschedule events. The Office will remain open to phone calls and emails but will not accept any new park permit requests for the time being.

The closure will be re-evaluated every two weeks and extended as necessary.
Residents can visit http://sullivanny.us/Departments/ParksRecreation and the county social media pages for county park updates.

Multiple townships and villages in the County have also temporarily closed their parks.
“As we approach the Easter and Passover holidays, I ask everyone in our community to heed the advice of officials and stay home to curb the spread of this virus. These upcoming holiday meals should only be celebrated with members of your immediate household,” Doherty stated.

For the most up-to-date information, please visit Sullivan County Public Health Services’ Coronavirus info page: www.sullivanny.us/departments/publichealth/coronavirus.

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Sullivan County, COVID-19, parks,

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