DEFUNIAK SPRINGS, Fla. – On May 5, 2020, the City of DeFuniak Springs reopened all city-owned parks for public use. City Council voted Tuesday morning to authorize City Manager Mell Smigielski to reopen all parks at his discretion.
City Manager Mell Smigielski says he expects all city parks to be open by Tuesday, May 5, 5 pm, including restrooms at all facilities but reminds the public that the virus is still present, and that social distancing and handwashing is a must until this pandemic has ended. “We must all be diligent in following health officials’ guidelines in maintaining a 6-foot distance from one another and to be diligent in washing our hands frequently with soap and water or hand sanitizer whenever we come in contact with any surface, particularly in our parks,” he says. “Our public works team is not able to sanitize swing sets and restrooms every time someone uses them, so surfaces may be contaminated with COVID-19. Our leaders and staff want everyone to get exercise and enjoy city amenities like our parks, but we must continue to practice social distancing and proper handwashing guidelines to stop the spread of this virus. Please continue to use extreme precautions when using and enjoying our city parks.”
City officials will continue to monitor state health department data showing the status of COVID-19 and the impact of reopening facilities in the coming weeks.