Editor's note: This story was last updated on June 22.
City of Tucson park playgrounds and other amenities and equipment will remain closed until early August to help curb the spread of COVID-19 in the community.
On June 18, Mayor Regina Romero extended the city's emergency declaration ordering the closure of City of Tucson maintained park amenities and other city facilities until Aug. 3.
In addition to playgrounds the closures also include recreation centers, ramadas, gazebos, outdoor fitness equipment, some sports courts (basketball, volleyball, bocce, tennis), horseshoe pits, pools and splash pads, according to a news release.
Swim lessons, swim team, synchronized swim, and all leisure classes have been canceled for the entire summer.
Any existing reservations and permits for park facilities for special events, fields, gazebos and ramadas will be canceled and people can choose to receive a credit to use in the future or a refund.
Golf courses, disc golf courses, dog parks, skate parks and rinks, urban fishing areas, open space, trails, walking paths, and some park restroom facilities will continue to remain open for people to use while adhering to social distancing guidelines.
Tucson Golf will be requiring golfers using carts to use one cart per player and will be enforcing a six-foot distance between people in its pro shops.
If anyone encounters people using closed facilities or large gatherings of groups in city parks they can call the City Service Impacts hotline at 520-791-2540 to report the activity. The hotline will notify the community service officers who patrol parks, Boyer says.
