Columbus Recreation and Parks Department Focuses on Essential Services as the City Works to Stop the Spread of the Coronavirus
Contact:
Sophia Fifner, Columbus Recreation
and Parks, 614-266-9198 (cell)
Kerry Francis,
Columbus Recreation and Parks, 740-504-5892 (cell)
COLUMBUS,
OH – Columbus Recreation and
Parks Department continues to focus on serving residents during the pandemic.
With the recent surge in cases in Columbus, the department is shifting its
focus to ensure residents’ essential needs are met while promoting social
distancing to slow community spread.
For the next month,
Columbus Recreation and Parks will focus on essential services including:
- Ensuring residents have access to fresh produce
via free mobile produce markets. The produce markets will continue through Dec.
18. Visit golunch.club/
or visit the department’s social media channels for a current schedule.
- Supporting connectivity during the holiday
season via mobile Thanksgiving meals. With the support of the American Electric
Power Foundation, Boar’s Head and Mid-Ohio Food Collective, the department is
distributing 3,000 hot Thanksgiving meals at community centers with the highest
need.
- Enhancing core educational services at community
centers, including Active Learning Sites and Capital Kids programming.
All participants must register in advance; for more information, visit columbus.gov/recparkscovid19/.
While community center access is limited to
registered participants and staff, center staff are available during center
hours to help residents connect with needed support. Residents who need
referrals to essential social services are encouraged to call their local
community center.
Parks and trails continue to serve as a safe and
accessible way for residents to get outdoors. Although the weather is getting
chilly, it is important residents follow all safety protocols – practice social
distancing, clean your hands often with soap and water or hand sanitizer and
stay home if you’re not feeling well.
“It will take all of
us to stop the spread of the coronavirus. It’s important that we continue to
balance offering essential services with reducing community spread,” said Mayor
Andrew J. Ginther. “I’m grateful Columbus Recreation and Parks Department is
able to maintain access to vital resources safely.”
To allow for this focus, certain non-essential
programming and facilities will be temporarily unavailable, including some
recreational activities, sports leagues and fitness rooms, as well as the
Columbus Aquatics Center and the Cultural Arts Center.
“Nothing is more
important than the health and safety of residents and our staff,” said Paul
Rakosky, interim director of Columbus Recreation and Parks. “Focusing on
essential services will allow us to help ensure residents’ needs are met and
keep our community healthy by doing our part to reduce the number of COVID-19
cases.”
For additional
information about COVID-19, visit Columbus Public Health, Ohio Department
of Health or Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention. Additionally, Ohio
residents with specific questions related to COVID-19 can also call
833-4-ASK-ODH (833-427-5634). For a full list of department-related updates and
closures, visit www.columbus.gov/recreationandparks/.