Due to the coronavirus outbreak, all Hillsborough County Conservation Parks (and facilities contained therein) will be closed until further notice, but while residents are permitted to leave their homes, some areas of the parks are open and can be used as long as social distancing is practiced.
The closures include the Upper Tampa Bay Trail on 9201 West Waters Ave. in Tampa, Town ‘n Country Greenway as well as the Veterans Memorial Park and Rear Admiral LeRoy Collins, Jr. Veterans Museum on 3602 US 301 N. in Tampa.
It does not currently affect the county’s stand-alone boat ramps or nature (ELAPP) preserves, which remain open at this time. The exception is the Apollo Beach Nature Preserve, which is closed. Camp Bayou Nature Preserve is closed to vehicle traffic.
Neighborhood parks are open, but the buildings associated with them are closed.
Though recreation centers within all Hillsborough County parks are closed, there are available outdoor restrooms at these staffed neighborhood parks: Brandon, Carrollwood Village, Gardenville, Mango, Northdale, Providence Skate Park and Ruskin.
The restrooms will remain open, cleaned and monitored during normal business hours. Restrooms at non-staffed sites are closed until further notice.
Picnic shelters at neighborhood parks are open but will be monitored to ensure no more than 10 people gather at a time.
Pickleball courts at Northlakes Park have closed since March 21.
FishHawk Skate Park has closed since March 21.
Hillsborough County Parks & Recreation is moving forward with online Summer Camp registration. Public online registration starts on Monday, April 6.
The county urges residents to use common sense. Stay home if you are experiencing cold or flu-like symptoms so you don’t spread it to others in public.
It is also important that all residents practice social distancing, a public health practice that prevents people who carry the virus from coming into close contact with healthy people. Social distancing means remaining out of group settings, avoiding large gatherings and maintaining a distance of at least six feet from others when possible. Do not gather with more than 10 people in a group.
Dog parks throughout the county are open for you and your furry friends to use, but social distancing and keeping clean still matter even in dog parks.
For more information on COVID-19, and any other potential emergency in the region, visit HCFLGov.net/StaySafe and sign up for the HCFL Alert system.
Additionally, you can follow Hillsborough County on social media at Facebook, Twitter and Nextdoor for updates.
