Milwaukee County closes zoo, senior centers
Concerns over the spread of the coronavirus prompted Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele to close a range of facilities Saturday, including the zoo, senior centers and park facilities until further notice.
The Milwaukee County Zoo will close effective Sunday, with staff remaining on-site to care for animals. But not all the services and amenities offered by the county’s parks and senior centers are being suspended. Here’s a rundown of the county’s operations, according to a news release:
Parks
Effective immediately, the majority of Milwaukee County Parks’ public venues will close, canceling all events, rentals and programs.
Those facilities include: Mitchell Park Domes, Noyes Indoor Pool, Pulaski Indoor Pool, King Community Center, Kosciusko Community Center, Milwaukee County Sports Complex, Wehr Nature Center Visitor Center, Boerner Botanical Gardens Visitor Center, Wilson Recreation Center & Ice Arena and WilO-Way facilities at Grant and Underwood.
Outdoor amenities such as parks, trails, dog parks, disc golf courses and self-pay golf courses and the Grant Golf Course and pro shop will remain open.
The parks department will continue to follow guidelines set forth by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which recommends limiting gatherings to fewer than 25 people.
Staff will continue maintaining the parks and facilities as needed.
Senior centers
Five county-owned senior centers will close effective Monday: Clinton Rose, Kelly, McGovern, Washington and Wilson.
The Indian Council for the Elderly, West Allis and Grobschmidt dining sites will transition to carry-out only meals beginning Monday, and on Tuesday, the Hart Park dining site will do the same.
“Although we will be temporarily be closing some facilities, we have plans in place to ensure services continue without interruption during this crisis. These decisions are very difficult, but we believe the actions we are taking will help contain the spread of COVID19,” said Mary Jo Meyers, the director of the county’s Department of Health and Human Services.
The county also said anyone with questions about the transmission of the virus should call the Aging Resource Call Center at (414) 289-6874 rather than visit the office.
Museum
The Milwaukee Public Museum closed Saturday until further notice. This included both public and private events as well as the Daniel M. Soref Planetarium and Dome Theater.