NJ beaches, lakesides to open beginning Memorial Day weekend, says Murphy
NEW JERSEY - Beaches and lakes in New Jersey will open beginning Memorial Day weekend with restrictions, announced Gov. Phil Murphy on Thursday.
It will be up to local leaders to determine the best method to follow the restrictions which include limiting the number of people who can be on the beach or at a lake.
"No community can turn a beach into a private one," added the governor.
Social distancing protocols will also be in place as New Jersey continues to see new cases and deaths related to COVID-19.
A general view of an empty Loch Arbour Beach and the Atlantic Ocean during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on April 25, 2020 in Loch Arbour, NJ. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Social distancing measures of six feet between beachgoers will be enforced, except for immediate families. Some towns may opt to limit beach badges.
Organized games, arcades, playgrounds, rides, contact sports, beach recreational summer camps, concerts, festivals, and fireworks will not be permitted.
Restrooms will be open at beaches, lakes and parks, some as early as this weekend, but water fountains, will remain closed, added Murphy
The state's parks and golf courses, which shut down as the coronavirus pandemic crisis worsened, reopened on May 2.
The governor announced 244 new deaths in the Garden State Thursday from COVID-19 bringing the total number dead to 9,946.
