Coronavirus Not Stopping Philadelphia Parks And Recreation From Launching Annual Playstreets Program This Summer
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- We know it won't be a traditional summer in the city, but Philadelphia Parks and Recreation wants to make sure kids stay engaged and safe through its Playstreets program. Parks and Recreation Commissioner Kathryn Ott Lovell joined CBS3 Thursday morning to talk more about Playstreets, the call for volunteers and what the program might look like this summer.
Ott Lovell says the city is hoping to have a really great summer for children and they're hoping to have the Playstreets program up and running very soon.
Playstreets has been around for nearly 60 years. Ott Lovell says the program is a way that parks and recreation can deliver free and nutritious meals to children in neighborhoods across the city.
Residents can apply to have their street designated as a play street, meaning it would be closed to vehicular traffic Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
"We'll deliver meals to them and a bag of fun," Ott Lovell said. "And kids can enjoy summertime right outside their front door, safely, right there on their neighborhood street."
While the coronavirus pandemic is impacting many summer programs for children, Ott Lovell says they will be following social distancing guidelines.
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"Most importantly, I think that kids have been inside for a really long time and if and when the stay-at-home order is lifted, kids are going to want to get outside, parents are going to want kids to get outside and we have these amazing community leaders who supervise our Playstreets and we love being out there with the kids making sure they have a safe place to play."
The program may look a little different, but the goal of Playstreets remains the same.
"We know our job at parks and recreation is to make sure we provide joy and fun to young people throughout the city," Ott Lovell said. "Summer is our Super Bowl season, so we are gearing up. We have been gearing up even during this closure."
Ott Lovell says parks and recreation will still be holding camps this summer, along with Playstreets.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW.
