April 14, 2020
With the stay-at-home order in place, people are becoming less physically active as well as having a hard time mentally being stuck at home all day. Everyone has had to make a big adjustment because of the pandemic with so many changes happening, which is why parks like Sweetwater have opted to stay open for the benefit of the public. People now have the opportunity to get out of the house and take long walks around the parks enjoying the scenery and fresh air instead of sittting around the house.
The parks are staying cautious though as the staff has started cleaning the park more often as well as put up signs throughout the trails to emphasize the need to maintian social distancing. They have also advised people to not touch the hand rails to keep individuals at the park including other staff members safe. Park rangers remain on the site to ensure the rules are being followed and no one is at risk. Sweetwater has even waived their entrance fees to reduce any possible contact.
The staff talked about the importance of keeping parks like this open to the public especially in these tough times. It helps people to stay healthy both mentally and physically. Many other parks remain open for these same reasons such as Clear Lake Nature Park, Colclough Pond Nature Park, and Loblolly Woods. It gives people another place to go outside their house besides trips to the grocery store. Even going alone and walking along these paths is a great way to improve your health while staying safe at the same time.
