Coronavirus: Don't Congregate At East Greenwich Public Parks

EAST GREENWICH, RI — East Greenwich Town Manager Andrew Nota released a video message to town residents on Thursday outlining how town restrictions due to the coronavirus health crisis work with Gov. Gina Raimondo's directives on limiting public gatherings to no more than five people and stay-at-home orders. Nota said that while parks remain open for individual exercise and outdoor time, parking at those parks is not allowed and only those within walking distance and biking distance to those parks are able utilize them.

"Rhode Island faces over the next two to three weeks the largest spike in positive cases of the coronavirus," Nata said. "We here in Rhode Island, and we here in East Greenwich, will be effected by that. ... I don't want to see any fatalities due to lack of judgement."

Nata said that the town wants to allow people who live close to the parks — like those who were walking the track by themselves behind him at the time the video was shot — to be able to continue to use the parks for isolated exercise, but that continued violations may force the complete shut down of all public areas.

"We want to be respectful of those complying (with the directives)," he said.

He said he continues to be distressed at those he sees around town — especially younger groups — hanging out in crowds larger than five, and playing contact sports such as basketball. Gov. Raimondo told residents multiple times this week that they should make a list of "four or five people" who they planned to be in close contact with this week, and talk with only those people for the next week or two, at least.

The full video can be viewed here.

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