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WPCNR THE FEINER REPORT. . By Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner. May 24, 2020:
I have received e mails and calls from residents in recent weeks advising that many people are not social distancing or wearing masks on bike paths, parks, trails. This is happening all over Westchester, NYS, the nation and world! Most people do comply. But those who don’t risk infecting others or getting sick with COVID-19 themselves. For those with medical issues — it could be extemely dangerous.
I spoke with the Parks Commissioner and Police Chief and suggested that we set up a time (probably early in the AM) at one park with extra police, park personnel present so that people who have compromised immune systems can enjoy the trail -knowing that we will be making a greater effort to enforce the social distancing/health and safety COVID-19 REQUIREMENTS
My question: If we would set this up – would you be interested in participating? There are many miles of bike paths, trails, parks around town. It’s impossible to have a police officer at every spot on a trail all day and many people are refusing to comply with the social distancing directives.
If you would be interested = would an 8 AM to 10 AM time period be helpful? Any thoughts or suggestions you have would be appreciated. Please e mail to pfeiner@greenburghny.com. When I brought this up at the Greenburgh Town Board work session last week the suggestion was to try it once a week. However, if there is greater interest and need the program could be expanded.
If this works it’s my hope that other governments will do the same – providing more options for those with compromised immune systems to enjoy nature
AN EXCERPT FROM A WOMAN WHO IS SEVERELY IMMUNE
COMPROMISED
As a very concerned citizen, I wanted to let you know that community members are not looking out for one another at all, and it is really upsetting. So many people including runners and bikers are not wearing masks or social distancing, especially on the weekends.
There are so many people on weekends that it is nearly impossible to social distance on some parts of the path, and so many people out there just don’t seem to care about others at all. Tons of adults and kids biking without masks–so many that I had to wait about 5 minutes standing off the path while one biker after another passed by.
People running without masks and not social distancing at all while they breathe heavily and run right by. I happen to be severely immune compromised.
I just think it’s such a shame that this is the way people are treating one another. As the weather gets warmer, it’s only going to get worse, and action needs to be taken. I literally feel like I can’t go outside without feeling in harm’s way, and it’s a great health risk
ANOTHER EXCERPT FROM AN E MAIL RECEIVED FROM A WOMAN WITH CANCER ABOUT ANOTHER TRAIL IN TOWN–
Thank you for soliciting feedback on Greenburgh trail use. I I run into few people there at that time (more people on weekends) and many weekday users seem to be regulars. I often see two women walking closely together sans masks. The most unnerving is an unmasked woman seen several times over these months including yesterday morning with an unleashed dog. On the weekends there are frequently parents with young children walking the trails sans masks.
I am recovering from a year of cancer treatment which just ended two weeks ago. I walk/jog with a bandana every day mostly to protect others since quarantine began. It seems there are still many in our community who don’t realize how our behavior correlates with the quarantine timeline.
WESTCHESTER RE-OPENING –LINK TO WHAT IS ALLOWED ON TUESDAY AND DURING OTHER PHASES
On Tuesday our area will start re-opening. This is a link to what is allowed and not allowed.Phase 1 allows in curbside, in store pickup and drop off, construction, wholesale and manufacturing.https://forward.ny.gov/industries-reopening-phase
PAUL FEINER Greenburgh Town Supervisor