Parks Reopen In FL's 3 Counties Hardest Hit By Coronavirus

MIAMI BEACH, FL — Lori Nieder spent much of Tuesday fielding phone calls at the eerily quiet Miami Beach Tennis Center two blocks from an empty beach.

"My phone has not stopped ringing. It’s been extremely positive," Nieder told Patch. "Right now, I’m just taking requests and numbers to call back until everything gets in place."

The Miami Beach Tennis Center and a number of other public recreation facilities in Florida's three counties hardest hit by the new coronavirus outbreak — Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach — reopened Wednesday amid new requirements for social distancing and face coverings.

All beaches remain closed in the three counties, which are considered to be the epicenter of Florida's coronavirus outbreak with some 60 percent of all confirmed cases.

"There will be zero tolerance for people who do not follow the rules," Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez said in announcing the openings.

"Most county parks will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. There will also be special hours and days for seniors to take walks in the parks in the morning," Gimenez said. "There will be no organized competitive play on courts or fields except for singles tennis."

Miami-Dade officials said county-operated parks, boating and waterways as well as golf courses are open to the public as long as people follow guidelines by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Florida Department of Health.

City-owned parks and recreation areas may have different rules, so check this list before heading out.

The city of Miami, which is part of Miami-Dade, is keeping all of its parks, beaches and recreational facilities closed for the time being, as is the city of Hialeah.

The city of Miami Beach reopened a number of parks and amenities Wednesday, including the Miami Beach Tennis Center.

Click here for a list of Miami Beach-operated parks and recreational facilities that are open, including Flamingo Park track, batting cages at North Shore Park and neighborhood tennis courts. Hours of operation are from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for parks; 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. for boat ramps; and 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. at tennis centers.

The city of Homestead has reopened some of its parks from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. for passive uses such as walking, jogging, biking or rollerblading. Visitors must wear face covering at all times unless they are engaged in strenuous physical activity. No gatherings of 10 or more people are permitted. The reopened parks include Blakey Park, Audubon Park, Mayor Roscoe Warren Municipal Park, James Archer Smith Park and Homestead Sports Complex.

The city of Aventura will begin reopening some of its parks Monday for residents who have identification. The following parks will reopen for passive uses such as walking or jogging while following certain restrictions: Founders Park, Waterways Park and Veterans.

In nearby Broward County, officials reopened golf courses, boat ramps, marinas, pools in multifamily developments and some parks Wednesday.

All of the Broward openings include restrictions on hours and rules for permitted uses and social distancing. Permitted activities include walking, jogging, biking, hiking, using horse trails, and personal boat launching. Individual basketball play is allowed but not with multiple players or pickup games.

Broward visitors can fish as long as they stay at least 10 feet apart. They can also play singles tennis and disc golf while following CDC guidelines. Mountain biking will be open at Markham Park but only for passholders. Parks and natural areas will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Nature center grounds and neighborhood parks will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Weekend and holiday gate fees will be suspended temporarily. Click here for more information.

In Palm Beach County, officials also reopened a number of outdoor recreation areas Wednesday from sunrise to sunset for one-way walking, running and biking, equestrian riding, fishing, canoeing, kayaking and use of lakes, while practicing social distancing.

Basketball and volleyball courts are for individual use only. Pickleball and tennis courts are limited to singles play. Boat ramps and county-operated golf courses also reopened with restrictions. Click here for more information on the Palm Beach County reopenings.

Back at the Miami Beach Tennis Center, Nieder said her regulars have been calling and texting for weeks to find out when they could get back on the tennis court. That day finally arrived, but they also will have to observe restrictions, such as being limited to singles play and having to bring their balls from home.

"The kids that are competitive are excited to jump on board," she said. "Our members are extremely passionate and loyal. Some of them have been hitting on walls for weeks, so they were pretty excited."