Town closes playgrounds; boardwalk social distancing stressed

La Conner isn’t playing around when it comes to curbing the spread of COVID-19.

The Town Council moved to temporarily close the John Hammer Memorial Playground below Town Hall and the Salmon Slide at Conner Waterfront Park following its lengthy discussion via a teleconference meeting March 24.

In so doing, Town officials followed the lead of other Puget Sound communities employing multiple measures to limit exposure to the novel coronavirus.

Councilmembers considered but did not close the popular La Conner waterfront boardwalk, choosing to place signage there stressing the need for people to observe social distancing.

The children’s play areas pose different challenges, however.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has said it might be possible COVID-19 can be transmitted by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it.

That didn’t escape the Council’s notice.

“It’s not just how close kids are to each other on a playground,” Councilmember Jacques Brunisholz, a retired teacher, said, later adding that “kids don’t social distance.”

“It (the virus) is also on the surface (of playground equipment),” he said.

Councilmember Mary Wohleb noted that a friend had sent her a photograph of a playground in Anacortes being hosed off for COVID-19.

“I think it’s important to be careful,” she said.

The skateboard park on North Sixth Street also escaped closure.

Brunisholz said the skateboard park differs from playgrounds because its users don’t grasp equipment.

He suggested the boardwalk either be closed or limited to one-way usage.

“People will come to the valley for the Tulip Festival even with everything shut down to get out of the city,” Brunisholz said, “and they’ll go to the boardwalk because it’s a great place.”

Councilmember John Leaver, an avid cyclist, said he hasn’t seen large enough crowds downtown to warrant limiting access to the boardwalk.

“I ride my bike around town a lot,” Leaver said. “Last weekend there were maybe 20 people from one end of town to the other. To me, closing off the boardwalk would be too draconian.”

Mayor Ramon Hayes said new signage at the boardwalk could be the answer – at least for now.

“We can continue to monitor the daily activity there and if it becomes an issue – I don’t think it will – we could perhaps post signs reminding (the public) what social distancing is,” said Hayes.

Those signs went up last week.

In other Council developments:

• Leaver suggested the Town consider a one-month waiver of sewer and water charges, especially for commercial users, given economic hardships resulting from the virus crisis.

“Businesses are hurting and families in town are hurting,” he said.

“I would hate to see when this crisis passes that we have a bunch of boarded-up businesses.” Councilmember Bill Stokes offered a cautionary response.

“Our utilities aren’t profit-making,” he said.

“They (have to) pay for themselves.” Stokes said the Town will likely “take a huge hit” financially because of COVID-19.

“We can’t start giving away things we can’t afford,” he said.

Leaver’s proposal was not pursued, but Town staff will compile comprehensive water and sewer use data for further discussion.

• Hayes, himself a local business owner, said he supports state restrictions in place to combat the coronavirus. “In my opinion, the governor is doing exactly the right thing,” Hayes said. “If you have a cancer, you have to cut it out. The only question is how long this shutdown will last.”

• Conducting the Council meeting by teleconference wasn’t without glitches. The audio was unclear at times. Stokes termed the format as “horrible.” With tongue planted only slightly in cheek, he offered a few alternatives while social distancing is mandated. “Can we have the meetings outdoors or in Maple Hall with everybody 20 feet apart?” Stokes asked. “Or maybe we can park in our cars and yell out the window.” Town Administrator Scott Thomas agreed. “I don’t know what the answer is,” Thomas said, “but this isn’t it.”

• Leaver offered a rare positive spin on stay-at-home and social distancing directives that have turned La Conner into a virtual ghost town at times. “One bright spot,” Leaver said, “is the toilet paper (in the Town’s public restrooms) has increased. We don’t have to worry about people stealing it as much.”