By Dee Longfellow
For The Elmhurst Independent
On Wednesday, March 25, the Elmhurst Park District posted a reminder that its playgrounds are currently closed due to the order of Governor Pritzker, reminding residents that while it’s okay to be in parks to walk, bike or jog, it is not acceptable to be in large groups.
Park District Executive Director Jim Rogers had to issue a special missive to remind people to respect the Governor’s order and the Park District’s attempt to comply with it.
“Many people chose to disregard the Governor’s order, and we received an abundance of responses from people expressing concern about the volume of people in the parks playing on playgrounds and gathering on athletic fields and courts,” Rogers said in his communiqué. “As a result, the Park District is taking further action to highly discourage those people who are ignoring the order by the Governor. Beginning [Thursday, March 26], ‘closed’ signs will be placed near every playground. Playgrounds will be roped off with caution tape. Rims will be removed from basketball courts. Tennis courts and the skate park will be locked. And soccer and lacrosse goals will be removed from athletic fields.
“To do all of those things, we will be asking our staff to leave the safety of their homes and expose themselves to surfaces that have been touched by thousands of people in the last two weeks — any of whom could be infected.”
Rogers said the Park District was working cooperatively with the City of Elmhurst and the Elmhurst Police Department, and that they would be ready to assist with enforcement by dispersing people who do not follow the Governor’s order. Park ambassadors will also be making rounds in the parks, Rogers said.
“And while they can all try to do their part to disperse people from the playgrounds or push out groups of people on ball fields and courts, their efforts are only temporary until those same people simply return once they’re gone,” Rogers said. “All that being said, we implore any of you who took part in the discouraged activity to seriously reconsider your actions. Please do not make us take the next step of closing down the community parks entirely. We want people to be able to get outside to get fresh air and go for a walk, but if this type of blatant disregard for the safety of others continues, we will be forced to do so.
“Asking people to stay at home is tough on all of us. But in the words of Simon Sinek, we all must suffer a little so no one has to suffer a lot.”
