Play areas, outdoor gyms and parkour still closed

Play areas, outdoor gyms and parkour still closed

The council is issuing a plea to local residents not to remove signs or tape from play areas as the Government guidance is still that they should remain closed.

The Government relaxed restrictions a few weeks ago on football pitches, tennis courts and multi-use games areas so that people could play sport with people in their family and one other person. Now this has been extended to up to six people as long as social distancing is maintained. However, the restrictions on play areas with play equipment, including outdoor gyms and parkour areas, remain.

Cllr Stuart Dark, Cabinet Member for Emergency Planning/Covid-19 response, said: "Our staff are routinely having to replace signs, re-lock gates and put tape around equipment where people have attempted to use the equipment. We are also getting lots of reports through our social media channels of groups of young people using equipment.

"We want to remind people that the guidance is there for people's own protection and the protection of others they may then come into contact with. There are lots of surfaces that could be touched and no sanitising or hand washing facilities nearby. These play areas represent a risk that is not easy to mitigate and that is why the Government has not lifted the restriction. It is vital that the parents impress upon their teenagers who may be venturing out the safety aspect of these measures. Places where they used to meet such as play areas or the parkour area are no longer deemed safe from a public health point of view."

If anyone notices that a play area has had signs removed please report it to cleanup@west-norfolk.gov.uk so that signage or locks can be replaced. Gatherings of people who are not from the same household and not socially distanced should be reported to the police using the 101 non emergency number.

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