Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert said at a Wednesday press conference that effective immediately all parks in Omaha will be closed until the end of April. An order that will impact 250 parks citywide.
The trail system and public golf courses will remain open, Stothert said.
Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said the city has done 500 compliance checks since March 24th, with 50 checks just on April 7th. Schmaderer says the decision to close the parks was not influenced by a shooting at Benson Park Tuesday night. After 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, anyone in a park may be subject to arrest citation and any vehicle may be towed.
Stothert says that large groups of people have been congregating at local parks and not heeding the order to have no more than 10 people in one place at a time. She said the biggest offenders were parents letting their children play on playground equipment, which has been banned for over a week, and coaches holding athletic practices.
At the press briefing Stothert also gave an update on the status of local hospitals. "Our entire hospital capacity in Omaha and Douglas County is at 46 percent. Approximately 384 ventilators in the city right now, with 13 being used by COVID-19 patients."
There are currently 40 COVID-19 patients being treated in city hospitals.