Bedford Borough Council have said all 120 play parks will be open from this weekend, except Kingfisher play area in Wixams.
A spokesperson for the council says this is because play equipment there needs maintenance before i can open safely.
Council workers have been adapting some parks to support social distancing measures, including the removal of some equipment.
Signs detailing how parents and children can keep themselves safe have also been installed. Guidance includes:
- Bring hand sanitiser and use it before and after entering the play area
- Bring wipes and wipe down any equipment your children wish to use, before and after use
- Supervise children at all times, with a maximum of one parent/carer per child
- Only allow one child on each piece of equipment at a time
- Maintain social distancing
- Do not allow your child to touch their face while in the play area
- Do not eat or drink anything within the play area
- Take away any litter or rubbish that you have
People are also asked to limit their family’s play park visit to just one hour to give others a chance to enjoy the too.
If a play area if busy, people are asked to come back later. People are also advised to stay at home if they or other family members in their household develop coronavirus symptoms.
The main symptoms include:
- A high temperature: You feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
- A new, continuous cough: Coughing a lot for more than an hour, or three or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
- A loss or change to your sense of smell or taste: You’ve noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal
Cllr Charles Royden, Portfolio Holder for Environment said “While we are taking steps towards ‘normality’ with play areas re-opening, coronavirus has not gone away.
“We are urging residents to behave responsibly when visiting a local park, follow the rules that are in place for your safety, and help ensure that we avoid further spikes or the need for a local lockdown.”
