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NOVA Parks now only open for trail and passive use

NOVA Parks is now moving to the Passive Stage of its Pandemic Plan. Here’s what that means.

By Holly Gambrell March 25, 2020 at 7:55 am

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Photo courtesy of Potomac Overlook Regional Park

Even parks are closing up in the face of the coronavirus. Effective as of 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, March 24, NOVA Parks will move to the Passive Stage of its Pandemic Plan, closing all entrance gates and parking lots to vehicles. The public may continue to use the trail systems and are strongly encouraged to use proper social distancing.

Previously, NOVA Parks closed all buildings, restrooms, golf courses, historical sites, gardens, nature center, boat launches, playgrounds, campgrounds and visitor centers. Trails will soon have signs promoting social distancing in the parks.

Currently, public access to trails is the same as Fairfax County Park Authority, Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation and several other area park systems, per a recent NOVA Parks press release. NOVA Parks will reopen the parks, “as soon as it is safe to do so,” reads the press release.

For more information, visit novaparks.com.

For more park news, subscribe to our Parks & Rec newsletter.

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