BY BORYS KRAWCZENIUK
Gov. Tom Wolf further eased rules on outdoor recreation Wednesday as the state’s coronavirus caseload and deaths continued to slowly rise.
The state’s new guidelines allow the opening in Lackawanna, Luzerne and other yellow-phase counties of businesses that host mountain biking, outdoor miniature golf, motor sports, go-karts, rock climbing, disc golf, paintball, horse riding, tennis, archery, shooting and similar activities.
The businesses remain forbidden from operating indoor spaces for the public except for restrooms, ticketing and entrances.
The guidelines encourage online ticketing and timed or staged entry to control visitor numbers and keep up social distancing.
The businesses must ensure visitors practice social distancing and avoid congregating at entrances, kiosks or concession stands.
“As summer quickly approaches and all 67 counties are in either yellow or green phases of reopening, it was important to provide businesses with the guidance necessary to safely reopen or plan for reopening as they reach the green phase,” Wolf said in a statement. “I want all Pennsylvanians to remain active and to enjoy all the recreation the commonwealth has to offer, but we must do so safely and with social distancing top of mind.”
All state parks and forests and their facilities will be reopened as of Friday, with most state park swimming pools reopening by Saturday. All 58 state park beaches opened Saturday.
Beaches and pools will be limited to 50% normal capacity with visitor parking and access restrictions remaining and social distancing and wearing masks outside of the water required.