Dog run at Lou Lodati Park in Sunnyside (Queens Post)
June 22, 2020 By Allie Griffin
Playgrounds opened for New York City children today, but Big Apple pups will have to wait longer to play inside public dog runs.
Playgrounds reopened today as the city entered Phase Two of the reopening plan, while other defined spaces inside city parks remain closed — including dog runs and tennis courts.
Mayor Bill de Blasio spoke on the reopening at his daily press briefing this morning and was vague on why playgrounds could reopen, but the dog runs and sports facilities could not.
He said there are additional factors to take into account for ball courts and dog runs before they can reopen.
“We have a whole host of other things that we’re evaluating right now,” de Blasio said.
He failed to specify what those factors are. However, he said the dog runs and sport facilities often have a large number of people — particularly adults — congregating in a small area.
The city shuttered dog runs; playgrounds; and basketball, tennis, handball and other courts at roughly the same time in April.
De Blasio said he and his team will share more details in the coming days.
“Basketball courts, soccer fields, tennis courts, handball courts, dog runs, you name it, we’re looking at all of them.”
Astoria Park tennis court (NYC Parks Dept)
