BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – Florida has begun its tedious task of reopening certain businesses and returning to a lifestyle during a pandemic.
The Canaveral Port Authority has followed suit and begun a phased re-opening of Jetty Park, which will include new guest requirements and new rules for visitors.
According to a news release, there will be new operating hours, new procedures for entering the park, new parking capacity limits and new rules for using the fishing pier and beach.
“We continue to closely monitor the COVID-19 situation and coordinate our efforts with federal, state and local government agencies to ensure we are doing everything to keep our employees and extended community safe and well informed,” officials said.
What can visitors expect during the park reopening?
- Jetty Park parking will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
- Access to Jetty Park beach and fishing pier parking will be limited to current Jetty Park annual passholders only. The passholder’s window sticker will be verified prior to entry. No credit card or cash transactions will be allowed.
- Current annual passholders – CPA will extend the expiration date of your pass by two months. For example, if your current pass is due to expire at the end of May 2020, its new expiration will be end of July 2020.
- Maximum parking capacity will be 50% – only 230 vehicles.
- Once this capacity is reached, access to the park will be closed to all vehicles, even passholders.
- Walk-ins will be prohibited.
- No concession of shared water toys, beach chairs, umbrellas will be allowed without CPA-approved sanitation procedures.
- Restrooms will be open, however, there will be periods of closure to allow for regular cleaning and disinfecting throughout the day.
- Guests and visitors must comply with posted signage for social distancing requirements while using park facilities. This includes the beach, beach crossovers, boardwalks, fishing pier, parking areas and restrooms.
- All guests must maintain 6-feet of distance, including while on the fishing pier.
- Groups of 10 or fewer may congregate on the beach only.
Officials said anyone planning a trip to Jetty Park should be monitoring their own temperatures and health symptoms before arriving.
Park staff will be wearing personal protective equipment to keep everyone at the park safe, officials said.
The Hertzlers are passholders and they are glad to be back.
"It's fantastic to be able to come back and get out and relax," David Hertzler said.
The couple said they felt comfortable knowing that crowds right now are being limited.
Jetty Park is known for crowds as one of the Space Coast's most popular places to watch a rocket launch.
Possibly, two launches are scheduled this weekend.
May 27 is the high-profile return of astronaut missions.
The port said its rules will be the same for this weekend, but for the astronauts' flight, the port does not have a set plan two weeks out.
Authorities said they will consider all the new guidelines that will continue coming down from the state and the CDC.
The port also said that in its later phases of reopening, it wants to install touchless payment methods for its guests who are entering who are not passholders.