Mayor Solomon Announces Updated Protocols for City Parks and Beaches in Response to COVID-19;

WARWICK – Mayor Joseph J. Solomon has announced that in order to continue to mitigate risks associated with the spread of the COVID-19 virus, he is ordering that all Warwick public parks, including Rocky Point State Park, beaches, and recreational facilities, remain closed to the public until further notice.

The public must refrain from visiting these areas. Warwick Police will continue to monitor parks and beaches for compliance. If people are blatantly ignoring the new rules – if they choose to congregate in groups at parks and beaches, or if they are not complying with physical distancing rules – they may be cited if actions and behavior are not corrected.

“I love Warwick’s parks and beaches, which in my opinion, are the best in Rhode Island. But I love our families, friends, and neighbors more,” said Mayor Solomon. “Too many people have been congregating at our parks and beaches recently, with little regard to social distancing rules. Also, as we see other parks and beaches around the state closing, it is natural that people start heading for the areas that remain open. This order is not about shutting down our recreational areas for our residents; it is about preventing an influx of visitors from congregating.”

RI Department of Environmental Management (DEM) Director Janet Coit has been working with Mayor Solomon to coordinate the closure of Rocky Point State Park, which is jointly owned by the City and the DEM.

“While it is hard to close Rocky Point State Park, along with our other beautiful state parks and beaches, it is absolutely necessary to do so at this critical time,” said DEM Director Janet Coit. “Protecting public health is paramount, and that means adhering to social distancing and restricting access to public places where any groups might gather – such as parks and beaches.”

Parks and recreational facilities that are closed include Apponaug Park, Belmont Park, Warwick City Park, Clegg Field, Conimicut Point Park, Goddard Memorial State Park, the Gorton Track, Oakland Beach Park, Pawtuxet Park, Rocky Point State Park, George Salter Memorial Grove, Father Tirocchi Field, Winslow Park.

Warwick’s Parks and Recreation Department, which includes McDermott Pool, as well as Thayer and Warburton Arenas, has been closed since Mayor Solomon declared a state of emergency for the City of Warwick on Friday, March 13.

All offices located in Warwick City Hall, the Buttonwoods Municipal Annex, Pilgrim Senior Center and Randall Holden remain closed in accordance with the declared state of emergency. The City will continue to provide essential services, including public safety; sanitation, including trash, recycling, and yard waste pickup; wastewater treatment; and critical City functions. Under the state of emergency, all municipal board and commission meetings, including the City Council, Zoning and Planning Boards, and Municipal and Probate Courts were cancelled until further notice.

Mayor Solomon will continue providing updates on warwickri.gov, Facebook, and Twitter as frequently as possible. He is also posting daily video updates to social media.

Below is a list of City departments that remain operational:

• Mayor Solomon’s office remains open.
• All public safety departments, including Police, Fire, Emergency Medical Services, and the Emergency Management Agency.
• The Department of Public Works will continue to collect curbside trash, recycling, and yard waste on its regular schedule.
• Wastewater treatment and critical City functions continue as usual.
• If you have business at Warwick City Hall, please try to do it online or over the phone. Many City departments have online resources and services.

For a list of City departments that are closed, important City contacts, and resources pertaining to COVID-19, please visit https://www.warwickri.gov/covid-19-information.

Mayor Solomon urges residents to realize that this is a rapidly changing situation and thus information is subject to change. As the State’s recommendations regarding COVID-19 evolve, Mayor Solomon will continue to evaluate the City’s needs and priorities accordingly.

DEM advises everyone to follow guidance about COVID-19 from Governor Raimondo and the Rhode Island Department of Health. More information about COVID-19 and Rhode Island’s response can be found here: https://health.ri.gov/diseases/ncov2019/

For updates on the DEM closures, visit http://www.dem.ri.gov/.

For information on DEM programs and initiatives, visit www.dem.ri.gov. Follow DEM on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RhodeIslandDEM or on Twitter (@RhodeIslandDEM) for timely updates.