Coronavirus: Williamson County Closes Parks Ahead Of Easter

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, TX — All county parks and trails will be closed ahead of the Easter weekend in adherence to social distancing protocols implemented to blunt the spread of coronavirus, officials said Wednesday.

The mass closure by the Williamson County Parks and Recreation Department will take effect on Thursday, April 9, and will be in effect until sunrise Monday, April 13, officials said in a news release. The decision to close these facilities and outdoor locations is an effort to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 and prevent residents from being exposed to the virus during the busy holiday weekend, health officials explained.

“The safety and welfare of our citizens is of utmost importance right now," Williamson County Parks and Recreation Director Russell Fishbeck said in a prepared statement. "Parks are popular places and the crowds we typically see on holidays, like Easter weekend, leave minimal opportunity to practice social distancing. The health risks are just too great not to close our parks and trails."

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To buttress the closures, officilas said gates at the following locations will be closed, locked, and barricaded:

• Berry Springs Park & Preserve, 1801 Co Rd 152, Georgetown, Texas;
• Champion Park, 3830 Brushy Creek Rd, Cedar Park, Texas.
• Southwest Williamson County Regional Park, 219 Perry Mayfield, Leander, Texas.

Specially made signage will be installed at the aforementioned locations as well as at various access points along Brushy Creek Regional Trail to remind residents that access is prohibited, officials said. Parks staff will be on duty patrolling these areas to enforce the municipal directive, officials added.

"We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause," officials wrote in a news release. "Our staff understands family activities are limited at this time, and we appreciate your compliance."

Related stories:

• Coronavirus: Austin Closes More Parks For Social Distancing
• Coronavirus: Texas Closes State Parks, Historic Sites
  
• Coronavirus: Austin Bans Golfing Amid Pandemic
  
• Coronavirus: Pflugerville Closes City Parks Easter Weekend

The move comes after Austin parks officials closed all the parks and recreation areas there, and the governor's order closing all state parks and historic sites in adherence to health officials' physical distancing guidelines. Austin also previously ordered closure of municipal golf courses while Pflugerville ordered its parks and recreational facilities closed toward the same social distancing aims.