Chattanooga Officially Reopening All Remaining City Facilities Shuttered During Pandemic
Photo: North Chattanooga Recreation Center
Photo Credit: Google Maps
Published June 1, 2021
Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly issued an executive order on Friday that will reopen all remaining city facilities that were shut down during the pandemic.
This list includes reopening all YFD centers and Senior Centers on June 1 and all remaining pools on June 7. Summer camps will also begin on June 7.
The order comes after a presentation to the City Council on Tuesday regarding the city’s safe reopening plan, which puts in place measures to ensure social distancing, enhanced cleaning, and limited capacity per CDC guidelines.
The Warner Park Pool and Splashpad was reopened on Friday by a previous executive order.
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Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly said, “As the weather warms up, I am grateful for the opportunity to once again provide these important city services that bring our neighbors together in the spirit of community.
“Our city’s YFD centers, pools and senior centers provide vital services and offer welcome diversions. Reopening them safely has been a top priority for my administration,” Kelly stated.
Dr. Mary Lambert, Chattanooga’s Director of Community Health, said that the city is continuing to monitor factors related to COVID-19, such as vaccine and infection rates, to “ensure public safety as these critical community resources reopen”.
Lambert said, “Now that our city has taken a big step toward normalcy, our community’s continuing challenge will be to put this pandemic behind us through vaccinations in order to maintain these gains.”
“The last thing anyone wants is to see a rise in infections because of a failure to take advantage of easily accessible vaccinations, which are shown to protect our families and loved ones from the COVID-19 virus,” Lambert stated.
Under the order, masks will continue to be required in all city buildings for non-vaccinated adults.
However, masks for any children under the age of 18 are now optional in all city buildings, including YFD centers and pools.
In addition, last week’s executive order continues to cover the ongoing emergency care being provided to residents who were displaced by the March 2021 fire at Patten Towers.
On Wednesday, residents of floors 8-11 were able to begin moving back in, but residents who were evacuated from other floors are still awaiting reinstatement. These residents continue to need food, shelter, and other provisions to ensure their health and safety.
“Elmington Capital, the owner of Patten Towers, is working diligently to reopen all floors and allow all residents to return home, and I’m grateful that they were able to open many of the building’s floors this week,” said Brent Goldberg, the city’s chief of staff. “In the meantime, we will continue to provide support to those who were displaced by the fire.”
