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Pepper Fisher

PORT ANGELES – There’s good news this week for dog owners and skateboarders. Port Angeles officials just announced they are reopening the dog park at Lincoln Park and the skateboard park at Erickson Playfield on Wednesday, with certain restrictions.

Both facilities have been closed since the onset of Covid-19 in March. At that time, the Parks and Rec Department said they would reopen them when Clallam County entered Phase 3 of the Governor’s Safe Start Plan. 8 months later, that still hasn’t happened.

What’s changed, according to a news release, is that City officials continue to watch as Washington State allows the reopening of recreational opportunities for non-profits and private businesses, while offering no additional guidance for other kinds of outdoor recreation, other than youth sports.

So, after much consideration, the City has decided to make the call to open the dog park and the skate park with certain requirements expected of the people who use them. The release says they’ve seen other communities do the same with success and are doing so with the support of County Health officials.

The basic restrictions should by now be familiar to park users. Stay home if you’re feeling ill, wash or sanitize hands often while touching as few surfaces as possible while you’re there, and keep groups at 5 or less while observing social distancing.

You can see the full list of restrictions at cityofpa.us.

Again, both facilities open Wednesday morning.