The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Getting Out
Attendance up: Visitors top 400K in April at Lake Metroparks Summer camps: Criteria to reopen can’t be met
Dog walkers.
Avid birders.
Fitness buffs.
Nature lovers.
Bored citizens.
During the novel coronavirus shutdown, Lake Metroparks Executive Director Paul Palagyi has seen people of all types populating the system’s 35-plus properties.
In fact, despite state and local mandates restricting public access, attendance at the parks has remained high, even with educational and recreational activities canceled.
To date, and throughout the public health crisis, the Metroparks has worked to keep as many of its parks, trails and other amenities clean, safe and open as possible.
Through it all, Palagyi said the system has seen an amazing number of visitors, noting March’s numbers totaled over 313,000, with April exceeding 400,000.
“It was great to hear from people who visited the parks for the first time and from people who were regular visitors, but have taken the time to explore parks they’ve never visited before,” he said.
“We will work to open up as many of the closed facilities as soon as we are permitted to open them and we are capable of meeting the requirements to open.” — Paul Palagyi, executive director
A major challenge, particularly on weekends, was limiting potential overcrowding while also encouraging social distancing. Staff also worked to regulate the amount of vehicles at each location, restricting parking at popular parks such as Chagrin River Park in Willoughby.
Social media platforms were used to encourage visits at some of the larger, less frequented parks, though all properties have been bustling.
In March, in accordance with the state orders, the Metroparks closed certain facilities, including Farmpark, Penitentiary Glen Nature Center, the Kevin P. Clinton Wildlife Center, Painesville Township Park Dance Hall, the Environmental Learning Center building and its Concord Woods Headquarters building.
Some facilities, Palagyi said, have, begun to reopen, based on Gov. Mike DeWine’s recent directives.
However, camps remain closed for June.
“We will work to open up as many of the closed facilities as soon as we are permitted to open them and we are capable of meeting the requirements to open,” Palagyi added.
“Unfortunately, there may be some things that the state has allowed to reopen but we cannot meet the criteria for opening.
“For example, we are allowed to open summer camps but we would have to keep campers in groups of 10 or fewer including counselors and the campers have to maintain six feet of distance from each other,” he said. “Our camps are designed to have 20 children in each and many of those camps were already full, and we would have to double the number of counselors to meet the ratio required by the state.
“We would also have to keep those 10 campers separate from any other group of campers which becomes next to impossible to do, especially when it rains and we have to bring the campers indoors. It would also be extremely hard to hire, train and do required background checks on counselors in the next two weeks.”
As of June 6, lifeguards will be on duty at Fairport Harbor Lakefront Park from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, weather permitting. Though the beach was never closed, working to prevent large gatherings, in addition to regulating social distancing, remains a priority.
The system is also currently working through the county health department to establish the means by which it can open the Farmpark with limited access later this month.
“We hope that we will be permitted and capable of running our July and August programs, camps and events, but that is still up in the air,” Palagyi said. “We have also canceled all shelter and facility reservations for the first two weeks of June due to the state’s prohibition on large events and groups over 10 people. We hope that this number increases later in June, but we doubt it will beyond gatherings of 100 people.”
While attendance has risen, naturally, cancellations have created a financial toll.
“We have lost approximately $312,000 in March and April and we project we will lose another $450,000 in May and June,” Palagyi added. “In response, we have reduced spending by nearly eliminating parttime work and have put on hold or canceled various projects and program expenditures.
“Things are tough, but like everyone else, we’re working together to get through the situation.”