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The John Theobold Sports Complex in Palatka and other Putnam County playgrounds, community center buildings and sports complexes are closed until further notice.
Although Putnam County parks are closed until further notice due to coronavirus, work on Project P.L.A.Y. will not stop.
Parks & Recreation Director Kevin Stevens said the contract for the park construction mandates work be complete no later than April 30. Project P.L.A.Y. will have new playground equipment and a water feature for people to enjoy.
“Everything is moving forward as planned,” Stevens said.
The park, located in the John Theobold Sports Complex in Palatka, was scheduled to be part of the May 1 celebration of Rotary Club of Palatka’s 100th anniversary.
Situated at the intersection of U.S. 17 and State Road 19, r the 20-year-old park began undergoing renovations in January. The goal of the new park was to make it more accessible by including disability accessible areas and creating a new park was more cost-effective than repairing the old wooden park.
The total cost of construction is about $348,000, Putnam County General Services Director Julianne Young said. Rotary Club of Palatka donated $100,000 to the park and the rest of the money is being funded by the county.
Whether the park will open by May 1 remains to be seen, Young said.
“We have to follow all the (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) guidelines,” she said. “That’s just too far in the future. We’re hoping for the best.”
Benjie Bates, a member of the Rotary Club of Palatka, said the club had to cancel its 100th anniversary dinner celebration and thinks the park’s opening date will move because of the virus.
He said the opening probably will not happen until the CDC passes guidelines allowing gatherings of 10 or more people.
“I can imagine there’s no way you can have a couple hundred kids and families gather with everything going on right now,” Bates said. “Unfortunately, we’re all getting impacted by (coronavirus).”