Mayor Luke Bronin announced the City of Hartford’s Parks and Recreation Department’s plans to open activities in City parks and begin other recreational activities this summer. Park parking lots, playscapes, tennis courts, outdoor basketball courts, splash pads, and all outdoor athletic fields will open on a staggered basis in the coming weeks. After consultation with a variety of stakeholders, the City’s Department of Families, Children, Youth and Recreation has decided not to open pools this year. Other regional communities, including West Hartford and Bloomfield, have also decided not to open their pools.
In addition to City facilities and fields, the City will be continuing several staffed summer programs that it regularly provides. The Department of Families, Children, Youth, and Recreation will run the supervised playground program at splashpads from July 6 – August 21, Monday – Friday, 2 PM – 5 PM. Separately, the Department will also be running the annual summer camp program, open to up to 250 young people ages 8 to 12, from July 13 to July 31, Monday – Friday, 8 AM – 4 PM.
“We have been carefully considering when and how to open our recreational facilities in a safe way, recognizing both the need for recreation opportunities this summer and also the ongoing public health concerns,” said Mayor Luke Bronin. “In the coming days and weeks, a number of facilities that have been closed for the past few months will be reopened. We will be posting signage at various facilities to remind people of the importance of taking basic precautions and observing social distancing requirements. After a great deal of consultation with the Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission, other towns, and the Health Department, our Department of Family, Children, Youth and Recreation has decided not to open our pools this year.”
City recreation facilities will open on the following schedule:
- Parking lots at City parks will open Friday, June 26
- Playscapes at City parks will open Monday, June 29
- Tennis courts at City parks will open Monday, June 29
- Outdoor basketball courts will open Friday, July 3 (indoor basketball will remain closed)
- Splash pads at City parks will be open Friday, July 3
- All athletic fields will be open for organized play Monday, July 13
The MyRec reservation system will be reactivated Friday, June 26 at 9 AM to allow residents and leagues to reserve fields and submit required documentation.