Cape Town – City of Cape Town mayor Dan Plato on Monday announced the immediate reopening of all city parks.
Cape Town's parks were closed on March 26 when South Africa entered the start of its Covid-19 lockdown, which has since exceeded 100 days, albeit with eased levels of restriction.
Plato said parks encouraged physical distancing and he was pleased that the national government had changed its stance on their utilisation.
“Capetonians will now benefit from additional activities through the access to parks. This will assist in enabling daily exercise to increase mental and physical well-being during this challenging time,” Plato said.
The parks able to open include the popular Khayelitsha Wetland Park, Nantes Park, Arderne Gardens, Company’s Gardens and Westridge Gardens.
Plato expressed his gratitude to staff members that worked throughout the lockdown to ensure parks were ready to be visited.
He said teams had been carrying out maintenance for two weeks to ensure safety and compliance.
“I am sure our residents will appreciate having these spaces to exercise and enjoy some fresh air. In line with safety regulations, we appeal to residents to continue to practice great caution when venturing outside,” Plato said.
He reiterated the importance of adhering to all Covid-19 regulations, and urged residents to continue washing their hands regularly with soap or using an alcohol based hand sanitiser, practising physical distancing, and wearing a face mask, in order to curb the spread of the virus.