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Broward County Close Parks; Suspend Bus Fares

by Sharon Aron Baron March 23, 2020

by Sharon Aron Baron March 23, 2020 32 views

Tall Cypress Natural Area
{courtesy Coral Springs}

By: Sharon Aron Baron

County Administrator Bertha Henry issued Emergency Order 20-02 on Monday, which temporarily closes County parks and implements schedule changes and activities to support social distancing for bus riders.

The Order also restates some provisions of Emergency Order 20-01 regarding essential businesses.

County Parks

All parks operated by Broward County will be closed to public access, and bus fares have been temporarily suspended beginning on Tuesday, March 24, until further notice. Parks includes regional, neighborhood and specialty parks; nature centers; and Tall Cypress Natural Area at 3700 Turtle Run Blvd in Coral Springs.

Broward County Transit

Beginning Tuesday, March 24, customers will enter and exit the bus only via the rear doors, except for customers who require the use of the wheelchair ramp, which will remain available at the front door and Bus fare collections will be temporarily suspended on all bus service, including TOPS paratransit.

Beginning Saturday, March 28, BCT will operate a Saturday schedule daily, Monday through Saturday; Limited Stop (or “Breeze”) service will be eliminated, and Express buses will operate on 30-minute schedules. Sunday schedules will continue as they currently are.

The County asks that members of the public limit their use of bus and paratransit services to essential travel only and that riders comply with the CDC recommendations for social distancing.

Libraries

All Broward County Libraries were closed to in-person public access at the close of business on March 19, until further notice. Libraries staff will continue to report to work. A wealth of online library resources remains available. Fines will not be assessed for materials returned late as a result of the closure.

New Provisions of Emergency Order

The following provisions of Emergency Order 20-02 restate portions of Emergency Order 20-01 regarding essential and non-essential businesses.

Marinas and boat launches, docking, fueling, marine supply, and other marina services – These continue to be identified as essential businesses, but only for limited operations, including commercial fishing, law enforcement activities, to accommodate boats and ferries operating out of Port Everglades, to accommodate persons living aboard their vessels, persons returning to the U.S. from international voyages, and persons needing to remove their boat from the water or perform emergency maintenance.

This change was made primarily to curtail the continued social gatherings of large parties and groups at these facilities, contrary to the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Pawn Shops are now excluded from the initial list of essential businesses, as they are deemed to provide a vital financial resource to many residents, particularly during times of need.

Author Profile

Sharon Aron Baron

Editor of Talk Media and writer for Coral Springs Talk. CST was created in 2012 to provide News, Views, and Entertainment for the residents of Coral Springs and the rest of South Florida.