Mayor wants Fresno parks open for Easter, council wants protections in place

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The beginning of the end of COVID restrictions may be on display in Fresno parks for the upcoming Easter holiday.

Parks and even Fresno's City Hall could be open to the public as soon as early next month.

Fresno's parks traditionally get packed on holiday weekends as families get together.

But in the time of COVID, every get-together has posed some health risk.

"The more we congregate whether indoor or outdoor, especially when we don't have masks on, the more likely COVID is to spread," said Mayor Jerry Dyer.

The city has often shut down parks for the holidays over the last year, but Mayor Dyer says he intends to keep them open this Easter.

It'll just look different.

"We want to make sure people are exercising their due diligence when they're in the parks: that they're wearing a mask, not congregating unnecessarily," the mayor said.

City council members are almost ready to get back to their own pre-COVID routines.

They're hoping to reopen City Hall and do their meetings in person instead of remotely as soon as April 8.

But some council members might still need convincing on keeping parks open over the holiday weekend.

They want more protections in place for people at the parks - including having someone wiping down playgrounds, cleaning up restrooms, and posting warning signs - in addition to the masks.

They're hoping to have the issue resolved soon because Easter is just over two weeks away.