Here’s where kids can play on playgrounds in Whatcom in Phase 2. And where they can’t
Depending on where you live in Whatcom County, your kids are allowed to play on playgrounds in city parks as COVID-19 restrictions ease in Phase 2 under Gov. Jay Inslee’s “Safe Start” plan.
That’s because the county’s largest cities have different approaches. In Bellingham and Ferndale, playgrounds remain off-limits. In Lynden, playgrounds have reopened. In Blaine, they didn’t try to keep kids off the playground equipment.
Whatcom County has been in Phase 2 since June 5, which allowed for an easing of restrictions that were put into place in March to keep people apart from each other to slow the spread of the new coronavirus.
In Bellingham, Phase 2 has meant the reopening of recreational spaces such as dog parks, pickleball courts and bicycle pump tracks. The city’s trails and parks remained open during Inslee’s stay-at-home order, but steps were taken to discourage people from crowding together.
Some parents are unhappy that playgrounds in city parks in Bellingham and Ferndale haven’t reopened yet, but officials said they’re keeping them closed for now to protect the health of children and the community.
The state has provided broad guidelines for recreation but decisions about playgrounds are made at the local level, Jessica Baggett, a Washington State Department of Health representative, said to The Bellingham Herald.
“Our playgrounds are closed until Phase 3 and we have received plenty of pushback,” Riley Sweeney, spokesman and recreation director for the city of Ferndale, wrote in an email to The Bellingham Herald.
“Believe me, I understand the frustration,” he said. “I have a 3-year-old at home and he has been unable to play at Star Park (in Ferndale), his favorite park, in three months.”
It’s the same in Bellingham.
“It’s something that everyone is missing,” said Nicole Oliver, interim director for the Bellingham Parks and Recreation Department.
Crews have to continually put back up the caution tape they use to close playgrounds, Oliver said to The Bellingham Herald.
Oliver, who said she’s been in touch with other parks directors regionally, said closing playgrounds until Phase 3 is a consistent approach.
In Phase 2, group outdoor recreation is capped at a maximum of five people from outside your household. People also are being reminded to stay 6 feet apart from those they don’t live with and wear masks when they’re out in public if they can’t maintain that distance from others. Those are the broad guidelines from the state and Whatcom County Health Department.
In saying that playgrounds in Lynden have been reopened, its Parks and Recreation Director Vern Meenderinck said that people are asked to follow social distancing guidelines.
“For the most part, people have been very good about it and we haven’t seen any major problems with it,” Meenderinck said in an email to The Bellingham Herald. “From what we have seen, most people have good common sense and follow the majority of recommendations.”
He added: “Of course, there will always be some who pay no attention. But the majority of citizens are just excited to be able to have a place to go with their families and get out of the house and enjoy some fresh air.”
The city of Blaine never blocked access to its playgrounds.
“I felt it was unrealistic to keep people off playgrounds, so we posted notices that playgrounds can be a source of germs and viruses, advising that we do not sanitize playgrounds and that people should wash or sanitize their hands before and after play, and to limit their use to one family at a time,” Michael Jones, Blaine’s city manager said in an email to The Bellingham Herald.
Some people supported that decision while others criticized the city for not taping off playgrounds, posts on the city’s Facebook page from March 25 showed.
Ferndale and Bellingham officials feel differently.
“You can’t control the number of people on a playground,” Oliver said, adding of people’s reactions, “We’re having a little trouble with that, a little bit of a pushback.”
Sweeney echoed those views.
“The simple truth is that anytime a playground is open, it is far too easy for people to gather in groups larger than five. Playgrounds simply are not feasible or safe at this point in our reopening processes,” Sweeney said.
And while playgrounds remained closed, he said there are other places in Ferndale that are open for recreation.
“They are still welcome to enjoy a game of disc golf at VanderYacht Park, take a walk on the Hanadori Trail or grab a bite to eat and watch the sunset over the Nooksack River at the Centennial Riverwalk park,” Sweeney said.
This story was originally published June 18, 2020 at 9:13 AM.
