Here’s when Myrtle Beach will reopen parks, libraries and other public spots amid COVID-19
As Horry County continues to see a downward trend in coronavirus cases, Myrtle Beach officials on Tuesday discussed a plan that will reopen parks, recreation centers and other public facilities in phases, with the city fully open and operational by June.
With S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster lifting restrictions on amenities statewide, Myrtle Beach will follow suit by reopening certain parks and facilities starting next Monday. As of May 18, parks, dog parks, Myrtle’s Market, municipal court, City Hall, Public Works Administration building and the police department will reopen.
While parks can reopen, Grand Park will remain closed until further notice. Furthermore, playground equipment, picnic shelters, exercise equipment, Matt Hughes Skate Park, tennis and outdoor pickleball courts and sports tourism facilities will remain closed until May 23, pending McMaster lifting current state orders and guidelines.
“The most important thing we need people to realize is this thing is something we’ve never done before and never had,” Councilman Mike Chestnut said during Tuesday’s City Council meeting held via conference call. “We just need to be careful.”
City services will resume on May 26, but officials encourage customers to continue making payments through alternative means. Modifications will be made to lobbies with plexiglass installed and floor decals indicating appropriate social distancing. Cleaning procedures will also be enhanced in city facilities, with employees mandated to clean populated areas throughout the day.
Those who frequent those open facilities and parks will be encouraged to following social distancing guidelines, with additional signage placed at the dog parks and beaches. Virtual meetings will also be encouraged as City Hall welcomes staff back to work.
Municipal court will open with modifications for the safety of the public and employees, officials said, adding that bond hearings will increase to twice a day. Court cases will resume June 1 with 40 defendants allowed in the courtroom at a time, with safety questions posed to all visitors upon entry. Visitation will resume for inmates at the law enforcement center.
Quality of Life Court is projected to resume on June 17.
Pending the dismissal of certain restrictions statewide, city officials hope to have any remaining services open to the public by June 1. Those include Chapin Memorial Library, Myrtle Beach Sports Center, Myrtle Beach Convention Center, Dough Shaw Stadium, Tennis Proshop, Midway Park & Pepper Geddings outdoor basketball, and Corner Field and the hockey rink at Market Common.
Recreation facilities will require players to use their own equipment, including balls, rackets and water bottles. There will be no sharing of equipment, officials said.
City Council, boards and commission meetings will also resume on June 1, officials said. Scheduled sporting events will resume, with special events at the Myrtle Beach Train Depot and the Myrtle Beach Convention Center to take place.
Additionally, Pepper Geddings and Mary C. Canty recreation centers will be used to meet the needs of childcare for the summer and will operate as summer camp sites only to adhere to social distancing guidelines. Currently, the city has 230 kids registered for summer camps, ensuring all best practices and guidelines in sanitation and hygiene will be followed.
Officials discussed allowing senior residents in the recreation facilities when kids aren’t in attendance, though that has not been approved.
“This is a well thought-out plan,” Councilman Phil Render said. “We perhaps need to have more discussion about facility availability, such as Pepper Geddings, and again the arithmetic may not work but we need to think about how we may be able to accommodate both the young folks and our more seasoned citizens.”
