Remember that thing about MoCo Parks/Playgrounds Reopening?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here.

I didn't realize Montgomery Parks isn't part of Montgomery County government. Apparent it's part of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission. It's set up as an independent entity under the state, not the county.

Still, they had plenty of warning to get things ready to open.

But Maryland allowed playgrounds over a month ago. They didn’t because of MoCo restrictions. They need to pick one or the other - they can’t be setting public health policy.

Ignoring PH experts is what got us into this mess.

+1 to both of you. I always thought the parks department was a department within the montgomery County government.

To me it’s not even about playgrounds being open but about how much time they’ve had to prepare and how much confusion there is now.

The thing that really blows me away is that they waited until just a couple hours before everyone thought things would open before they said they wouldn't.

And they they acted surprised that anyone thought they were opening.

People will simply start to cut down the tape themselves thinking it’s ok.

+1

Not many people will know about the weird bureaucracy quirk or follow their Twitter feed. Some people might think that they can listen to our elected leaders. Weird!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:let's organize a first world problem playground snipping protest maybe we could get a food truck to come

I'm solidly in the "reopen playgrounds" camp, but I've got to admit that I love this post.

I'm the one who posted it and I want playgrounds open too. As long as it is safe. whatever that means ............

Playgrounds have been open in most of the rest of MD for more than a month -- it was part of phase 1a reopening. Surely they can figure it out here too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:let's organize a first world problem playground snipping protest maybe we could get a food truck to come

I'm solidly in the "reopen playgrounds" camp, but I've got to admit that I love this post.

I'm the one who posted it and I want playgrounds open too. As long as it is safe. whatever that means ............

Playgrounds have been open in most of the rest of MD for more than a month -- it was part of phase 1a reopening. Surely they can figure it out here too.

Makes me think MoCo is setting up some special requirements, just to be special and different. Masks on every kid over 2, hand sanitizer and wipes station, everyone needs to wipe down equipment before and after use. Only 1 kid per 100 sq ft space. They need time to set all these requirements up guys! Go eat in a restaurant while you wait.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:let's organize a first world problem playground snipping protest maybe we could get a food truck to come

I'm solidly in the "reopen playgrounds" camp, but I've got to admit that I love this post.

I'm the one who posted it and I want playgrounds open too. As long as it is safe. whatever that means ............

Playgrounds have been open in most of the rest of MD for more than a month -- it was part of phase 1a reopening. Surely they can figure it out here too.

Makes me think MoCo is setting up some special requirements, just to be special and different. Masks on every kid over 2, hand sanitizer and wipes station, everyone needs to wipe down equipment before and after use. Only 1 kid per 100 sq ft space. They need time to set all these requirements up guys! Go eat in a restaurant while you wait.

Oh of course they did. Now that our dashboard is showing 14 days of decline out of the last 14 for literally EVERY metric except for deaths, which shows 13 days of decline, I wonder what reasons Elrich will come up with to not have us move forward with the next stage of reopening that Hogan announces.

Dashboard: https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/data/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:let's organize a first world problem playground snipping protest maybe we could get a food truck to come

I'm solidly in the "reopen playgrounds" camp, but I've got to admit that I love this post.

I'm the one who posted it and I want playgrounds open too. As long as it is safe. whatever that means ............

Playgrounds have been open in most of the rest of MD for more than a month -- it was part of phase 1a reopening. Surely they can figure it out here too.

Makes me think MoCo is setting up some special requirements, just to be special and different. Masks on every kid over 2, hand sanitizer and wipes station, everyone needs to wipe down equipment before and after use. Only 1 kid per 100 sq ft space. They need time to set all these requirements up guys! Go eat in a restaurant while you wait.

Yes and no. If the health department were really demanding particularly special rules, then we'd see those at the MoCo Rec playgrounds. But they're not doing anything particularly special.

But, they're also no strictly following the Executive Order. I suspect Montgomery Parks wants some sort of buy-in from Dr. Gayles before they open up, and he probably isn't giving it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:about our parks and facilities:

Phone: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]

Just called and literally cried on the phone. Others should do it too. This is bullshit.

I understand your wish to enjoy park land, but... come on. No need to pull the crying stunt with this. Have a little dignity.

Not a stunt. Actually that sad. Weird you think it was a stunt.

Weird that you would cry about this as an adult. There are plenty of parks to go to right now.

[Anonymous]

It is weird, plenty of parks are open. Just not buildings or playgrounds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:let's organize a first world problem playground snipping protest maybe we could get a food truck to come

I'm solidly in the "reopen playgrounds" camp, but I've got to admit that I love this post.

I'm the one who posted it and I want playgrounds open too. As long as it is safe. whatever that means ............

Playgrounds have been open in most of the rest of MD for more than a month -- it was part of phase 1a reopening. Surely they can figure it out here too.

Makes me think MoCo is setting up some special requirements, just to be special and different. Masks on every kid over 2, hand sanitizer and wipes station, everyone needs to wipe down equipment before and after use. Only 1 kid per 100 sq ft space. They need time to set all these requirements up guys! Go eat in a restaurant while you wait.

Yes and no. If the health department were really demanding particularly special rules, then we'd see those at the MoCo Rec playgrounds. But they're not doing anything particularly special.

But, they're also no strictly following the Executive Order. I suspect Montgomery Parks wants some sort of buy-in from Dr. Gayles before they open up, and he probably isn't giving it.

We have t seen them because they haven’t announced the new rules. Why does Gayles need to give approval for everything? No way schools open in the fall if they won’t even let kids go on a playground at this point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:let's organize a first world problem playground snipping protest maybe we could get a food truck to come

I'm solidly in the "reopen playgrounds" camp, but I've got to admit that I love this post.

I'm the one who posted it and I want playgrounds open too. As long as it is safe. whatever that means ............

Playgrounds have been open in most of the rest of MD for more than a month -- it was part of phase 1a reopening. Surely they can figure it out here too.

Makes me think MoCo is setting up some special requirements, just to be special and different. Masks on every kid over 2, hand sanitizer and wipes station, everyone needs to wipe down equipment before and after use. Only 1 kid per 100 sq ft space. They need time to set all these requirements up guys! Go eat in a restaurant while you wait.

Yes and no. If the health department were really demanding particularly special rules, then we'd see those at the MoCo Rec playgrounds. But they're not doing anything particularly special.

But, they're also no strictly following the Executive Order. I suspect Montgomery Parks wants some sort of buy-in from Dr. Gayles before they open up, and he probably isn't giving it.

We have t seen them because they haven’t announced the new rules. Why does Gayles need to give approval for everything? No way schools open in the fall if they won’t even let kids go on a playground at this point.

Isn’t the decision about schools up to the MD State Superintendent?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:let's organize a first world problem playground snipping protest maybe we could get a food truck to come

I'm solidly in the "reopen playgrounds" camp, but I've got to admit that I love this post.

I'm the one who posted it and I want playgrounds open too. As long as it is safe. whatever that means ............

Playgrounds have been open in most of the rest of MD for more than a month -- it was part of phase 1a reopening. Surely they can figure it out here too.

Makes me think MoCo is setting up some special requirements, just to be special and different. Masks on every kid over 2, hand sanitizer and wipes station, everyone needs to wipe down equipment before and after use. Only 1 kid per 100 sq ft space. They need time to set all these requirements up guys! Go eat in a restaurant while you wait.

Yes and no. If the health department were really demanding particularly special rules, then we'd see those at the MoCo Rec playgrounds. But they're not doing anything particularly special.

But, they're also no strictly following the Executive Order. I suspect Montgomery Parks wants some sort of buy-in from Dr. Gayles before they open up, and he probably isn't giving it.

We have t seen them because they haven’t announced the new rules. Why does Gayles need to give approval for everything? No way schools open in the fall if they won’t even let kids go on a playground at this point.

Isn’t the decision about schools up to the MD State Superintendent?

She could close all schools, but reopening them will be, at least in part, a local decision.

And yes, I think there's a near-zero chance that MoCo will reopen in any way that would look remotely normal. Maybe some sort of strange part-time arrangement, though that might be worse than simply doing full remote.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:let's organize a first world problem playground snipping protest maybe we could get a food truck to come

I'm solidly in the "reopen playgrounds" camp, but I've got to admit that I love this post.

I'm the one who posted it and I want playgrounds open too. As long as it is safe. whatever that means ............

Playgrounds have been open in most of the rest of MD for more than a month -- it was part of phase 1a reopening. Surely they can figure it out here too.

Makes me think MoCo is setting up some special requirements, just to be special and different. Masks on every kid over 2, hand sanitizer and wipes station, everyone needs to wipe down equipment before and after use. Only 1 kid per 100 sq ft space. They need time to set all these requirements up guys! Go eat in a restaurant while you wait.

Yes and no. If the health department were really demanding particularly special rules, then we'd see those at the MoCo Rec playgrounds. But they're not doing anything particularly special.

But, they're also no strictly following the Executive Order. I suspect Montgomery Parks wants some sort of buy-in from Dr. Gayles before they open up, and he probably isn't giving it.

We have t seen them because they haven’t announced the new rules. Why does Gayles need to give approval for everything? No way schools open in the fall if they won’t even let kids go on a playground at this point.

Isn’t the decision about schools up to the MD State Superintendent?

She could close all schools, but reopening them will be, at least in part, a local decision.

And yes, I think there's a near-zero chance that MoCo will reopen in any way that would look remotely normal. Maybe some sort of strange part-time arrangement, though that might be worse than simply doing full remote.

+100 The current MD road to reopening gives general guidance but local determination of plans of how to meet that guidance and how to reopen .

I think we will see a similar situation play out on the schools that we have been seeing in other areas. General guidance by the state but at the end of the day it’s Moco driving and they will be do things their own way. We will likely see Moco schools issue rules that are complex to follow and maybe add in some Gayles rules for further confusion . This isn’t even a political debate but will show execution challenges

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:let's organize a first world problem playground snipping protest maybe we could get a food truck to come

I'm solidly in the "reopen playgrounds" camp, but I've got to admit that I love this post.

I'm the one who posted it and I want playgrounds open too. As long as it is safe. whatever that means ............

Playgrounds have been open in most of the rest of MD for more than a month -- it was part of phase 1a reopening. Surely they can figure it out here too.

Makes me think MoCo is setting up some special requirements, just to be special and different. Masks on every kid over 2, hand sanitizer and wipes station, everyone needs to wipe down equipment before and after use. Only 1 kid per 100 sq ft space. They need time to set all these requirements up guys! Go eat in a restaurant while you wait.

Yes and no. If the health department were really demanding particularly special rules, then we'd see those at the MoCo Rec playgrounds. But they're not doing anything particularly special.

But, they're also no strictly following the Executive Order. I suspect Montgomery Parks wants some sort of buy-in from Dr. Gayles before they open up, and he probably isn't giving it.

We have t seen them because they haven’t announced the new rules. Why does Gayles need to give approval for everything? No way schools open in the fall if they won’t even let kids go on a playground at this point.

Isn’t the decision about schools up to the MD State Superintendent?

Local communities can opt out. Unfortunately MoCo doesn’t have the manpower or organizational skills to take over all of these things that are typically run by the state, but they sure want to try.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:let's organize a first world problem playground snipping protest maybe we could get a food truck to come

I'm solidly in the "reopen playgrounds" camp, but I've got to admit that I love this post.

I'm the one who posted it and I want playgrounds open too. As long as it is safe. whatever that means ............

Playgrounds have been open in most of the rest of MD for more than a month -- it was part of phase 1a reopening. Surely they can figure it out here too.

Makes me think MoCo is setting up some special requirements, just to be special and different. Masks on every kid over 2, hand sanitizer and wipes station, everyone needs to wipe down equipment before and after use. Only 1 kid per 100 sq ft space. They need time to set all these requirements up guys! Go eat in a restaurant while you wait.

Yes and no. If the health department were really demanding particularly special rules, then we'd see those at the MoCo Rec playgrounds. But they're not doing anything particularly special.

But, they're also no strictly following the Executive Order. I suspect Montgomery Parks wants some sort of buy-in from Dr. Gayles before they open up, and he probably isn't giving it.

We have t seen them because they haven’t announced the new rules. Why does Gayles need to give approval for everything? No way schools open in the fall if they won’t even let kids go on a playground at this point.

Isn’t the decision about schools up to the MD State Superintendent?

Local communities can opt out. Unfortunately MoCo doesn’t have the manpower or organizational skills to take over all of these things that are typically run by the state, but they sure want to try.

They've got plenty of staff in MoCo, but you simply can't stand up your own quasi-regulatory programs overnight. I'd like to think they've learned their lesson and won't repeat the same mistakes, but I suspect we'll be in the same boat again in the fall/winter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I totally get that people are frustrated... but... crying because the parks aren't open? I seriously envy the kind of life PP has where they think something like this is an actual problem worth crying about.

And I want to know what kind of pleasant life you lead that your kids haven’t been stressed out for the past three months, or however long this thing has gone on for now. Yeah, not having safe places to play for children IS an actual problem for many, many people. Wake up, PP.

I'm amazed at how many people can't even stand a little deprivation. These things take time in order to figure out in the new scheme of things, no one expected the White House to throw up it's hands, so now every decision has to be made at every level. Did the person who heads parks drop the ball, yes. Should people stop crying on the phone, yes.
Calm down.

Do expect our national government to dictate regulations on playgrounds?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I totally get that people are frustrated... but... crying because the parks aren't open? I seriously envy the kind of life PP has where they think something like this is an actual problem worth crying about.

And I want to know what kind of pleasant life you lead that your kids haven’t been stressed out for the past three months, or however long this thing has gone on for now. Yeah, not having safe places to play for children IS an actual problem for many, many people. Wake up, PP.

I'm amazed at how many people can't even stand a little deprivation. These things take time in order to figure out in the new scheme of things, no one expected the White House to throw up it's hands, so now every decision has to be made at every level. Did the person who heads parks drop the ball, yes. Should people stop crying on the phone, yes.
Calm down.

Do expect our national government to dictate regulations on playgrounds?

That poster also bemoans a lack of federal leadership while saying it is fine for playgrounds to ignore state and county leaders. What?!?

Playgrounds had a week’s notice of a specific deadline and about 100 days notice of an eventual reopening. If they can’t figure out building and restrooms, that’s dumb but fine. Small local playgrounds that are one at structure and swings can be opened immediately with no sanitation. No sane person expects the county to wipe down every playground surface every hour.