HARRISBURG, Pa. - Parks in Northampton County are slated to reopen this Friday — trails will open, but playgrounds and pavilions will remain closed. The announcement comes on the heels of a statewide easing of closures for some other outdoor activities as well.
State parks have remained open across Pennsylvania during the state shut down, as officials stressed the health benefits of getting outside, with social distancing. Next week, some private outdoor recreation businesses will follow suit - including golf courses, marinas and privately-owned campgrounds.
"Right now, getting outside is a good thing. And we need to make sure that we’re doing everything we can to keep mentally fit as well as physically fit,” said Gov. Tom Wolf.
Wolf said the decision comes as new cases appear to be leveling off across the state.
“We’ve been trying to buy time to keep the disease from overrunning the capacity of our healthcare system. And I think we’ve done that. And that’s why we’re ready to start the reopening process on May 8th.”
But that could change. Wolf said he’s prepared to “walk back” those openings if there’s a new spike in cases, or death rates from COVID-19 go up.
