From the Essex County Executive’s Office:
Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. announced that paddle boating at the Essex County South Mountain Recreation Complex will reopen on Friday, May 22nd, just in time for the Memorial Day weekend. Procedures have been put in place to promote social distancing among visitors and sanitize all equipment.
“With the weather getting warmer and people looking for things to do outside, we are pleased to be able to reopen paddle boating for the Memorial Day weekend,” DiVincenzo said. “We ask that visitors to our park to wear face coverings, practice social distancing and respect others. We want everyone to be able to enjoy our open spaces and the waterfront area while they remain safe and do their part to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus,” he added.
Hours of operation for the paddle boats during Memorial Day weekend are from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, May 22nd, Saturday, May 23rd, Sunday, May 24th and Monday, May 25th. Beginning on Tuesday, May 26th, the paddle boats will be open daily (weather permitting) from 12 noon to 6 p.m.
In collaboration with the County Health Officer, the following guidelines were established: All visitors to the park, including those going for a ride on the paddle boats, must wear face coverings. Visitors are asked to maintain social distancing while they are waiting on line to purchase their tickets. To further promote social distancing, people riding the boat together must be from the same household. Paddle boat launching will be on a timed basis with a reduced capacity to allow for social distancing on the docks, People in boats are asked to maintain a safe distance from other boats in the water. After each boat ride, the boats and life jackets will be sanitized.
Admission prices are $17 for a two-person boat and $21 for a four-person boat. For residents of Orange, prices are $9 for a two-person boat and $11 for a four-person boat.
