Changes to Parks are Coming

Changes to Parks are Coming

MINUS BIRDSCHIRPING, THINGSAT LOCAL PARKSARE A LOT QUIETER,BUT THAT'S ABOUTTO CHANGE "WEMADE THE DECISIONAS OF JUNE 1ST THEPLAYGROUNDS WILLBE OPEN." 197PLAYGROUNDSAROUND OMAHAWILL REOPEN AFTERBEING CLOSED DUETO THE PANDEMIC,BUT NOT WITHOUTA WARNING FROMMAYOR STOTHERT"THEY ARE NOTGOING TO BEDISINFECTED THEPLAYGROUNDS, SOBASICALLY IT'SGOING TO BE PLAYAT YOUR OWNRISK." IT'S NOT JUSTPLAYGROUNDS,PARK RESTROOMSAND THE SPLASHGROUNDS AROUNDTHE CITY WILL ALSOREOPEN "WE HAVE ALOT OF GREATPLAYGROUNDS ANDA LOT OF GREATSPLASH GROUNDSSO TO BE ABLE TOOPEN THOSE UPWILL BE VERYEXCITING." BUTTHAT EXCITEMENTFADES WHEN ITCOMES TO OMAHA'SPUBLIC SWIMMINGPOOLS, AS THEFUTURE OF THOSEREMAIN MURKY"ALTHOUGH THEGOV DID SAY THATTHEY COULD OPENJUNE 1ST, HE DIDNOT SAY THEY WILLREOPEN JUNE 1ST."DUE TO WHAT THEMAYOR SAYS IS AN$80 MILLIONDOLLAR LOSS INREVENUE BECAUSEOF THE PANDEMIC,ON TOP OF THE 71MILLION DOLLARSSPENT FOR COVIDRELATED EXPENSESLIKE KEEPINGPOLICE AND FIREOPERATING DURINGTHE PANDEMIC,PLACES LIKESWIMMING POOLSARE ON THECHOPPING BLOCK"WE USUALLY HIREABOUT 300 LIFEGUARDS IN THESUMMER WE'RE NOTHIRING THEM ANDWE MAY NOT BEABLE TO BRINGTHEM BACK WE JUSTDON'T KNOW YET."THE CITY IS STILLWAITING TORECEIVE MONEYFROM THE CARESACT GIVEN TODOUGLAS COUNTY,SO WITHOUT THAT,OTHER EFFORTS TOCUT COSTSINCLUDES KEEPINGLIBRARIES CLOSED,POSSIBLY STOPPINGRECYCLING FOR 6MONTHS, ANDLAYOFFS ANDFURLOUGHS WHICHCLOSED, IN OMAHA,JOHN MADDEN3NN."MAYOR STOTHERTSAYS SHE'S RECEIVEDLETTERS FROMSOCCER COACHESSAYING THEY AREGOING TO STARTPRACTICE ON JUNEFIRST, BUT SHE SAYSTHAT'S NOT ALLOWEDAS SOCCER IS LISTEDAS A CONTACT SPORTWE HAVE A LIST OFOTHER PLACES THATCAN REOPEN ON JUNEFIRST ON OURWEBSITE 3 NEWSNOW DOT COM