Covid-19: CT Closes Some Parks Due To Lack Of Social Distancing; Beaches Also Draw Crowds

Connecticut was forced to close multiple state parks over the weekend as they were flooded with people enjoying the warm spring weather amid the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Wadsworth Falls State Park in Middletown was among the parks closed due to overcrowding.
Photo Credit: *Google Maps*

Zak Failla

05/04/2020 10:02 a.m.

The state’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) closed nearly a dozen parks on Saturday, May 2 after they were over-crowded and people were unable to practice proper social distance protocols.

Large crowds were also reported at several of the beaches that are open during the outbreak.

Parks that were closed were:

Bluff Point State Park in Groton;
C.P. Huntington State Park in Bethel/Newtown/Redding;
Devil's Hopyard State Park in East Haddam;
George Waldo State Park in Southbury;
Harkness Memorial State Park in Waterford;
Lovers Leap State Park in New Milford;
Penwood State Park in Bloomfield;
Sleeping Giant State Park in Hamden;
Southford Falls State Park in Southbury;
Talcott Mountain State Park in Simsbury;
Wadsworth Falls State Park in Middletown.

“DEEP has implemented lower capacity restrictions at state parks in an effort to ensure proper social distancing within parks,” Commissioner Katie Dykes said. “Several state parks were closed for the day after reaching capacity, with more likely tomorrow, and on other nice weather days while COVID-19-related social distancing measures remain in place.”

Ninety-seven more people died in Connecticut from COVID-19 and the state’s total number of cases rose to more than 29,000, state officials reported Saturday.

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