UPDATE:
March 28, 2020
Due to continued excessive activity at the park, we must close access and permission for public use of the track effective immediately. We thought that restricting vehicles in the park would significantly limit visitors, but it did not help enough. We love that you enjoy the park so much, but we could not regulate the amount of people using the track at any given time, and unfortunately people have not chosen to self regulate their activity. We REALLY want to encourage people to stay close to their homes and walk around their neighborhoods for exercise. If you’re walking your baby or dog through the park, we’re probably not going to call the police and have you escorted out. Just use good sense and please respect the park’s new regulations:
-Track Closed
-Fields Closed
-Dog Park Closed
-Playground Closed
Thank you and stay safe!
March 21, 2020
For All Residents/Patrons/Visitors –
Today, as you may have seen or heard, the parking areas were locked and mounted on the gates were signs saying, “CLOSED”. The entrances to all of our fields were shut and adorned with the same signs. Many of you might also be wondering, “Well, what does this mean?” I am here now to explain exactly what Pine Banks is doing to still offer service to our community in as safe and manageable a manner as possible.
We at Pine Banks realize and sympathize with the pressures being put on everyone right now, and that there needs to be an outlet from being stuck indoors. However, due to the unique nature of our park and its growing popularity (thank you!), we simply cannot operate like we’re under normal conditions.
In an effort to reduce the volume of persons in the park, we have closed the gates to all vehicles. Additionally, all of our fields are now CLOSED, and each gate has a sign indicating that status. The playground/swings area is also closed. Our point is that we do not want people gathering in groups – whether it be playing sports, working out, or anything else, anywhere at the park. We are asking everyone to please respect and adhere to these policies and requests.
We are going to encourage people to 1) spread out and 2) use the park to walk, run, and/or keep moving – either on the track or throughout the parks’ many acres. If the track is your go to option – please adhere to the rules in place – no wheels and no pets! We also have more space to offer than just the track – check out our trails – which are currently being resurfaced for better comfort and accessibility. Also, due to the new vehicle restrictions, the only traffic you’ll encounter will be from Pine Banks employees, so the paved roadways will be another safe option.
A lot of our visitors are dog lovers, and we want to remain available for all these people. Some people prefer the dog park, some prefer to walk throughout the scenery. Whichever your preference, we ask that you still practice good social distancing measures, ALWAYS keep your pet on leash (unless inside the dog park), and always pick up after them. Leashing is especially important now – with more people (and dogs) than usual walking throughout the park. Our goal is to provide a safe and comfortable environment for everyone, and we hope you can understand our rationale.
In summary, Pine Banks, like everyone, is trying to adapt to the challenges put forth by this global situation. Please be respectful of others and the park while enjoying all that what we have to offer. Minimize exposure and transmission risk by using common sense and good judgement. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at [email protected].
Best wishes,
Andrew Walsh
Superintendent, Pine Banks Park