coronavirus long island

Coronavirus News: Marinas, golf courses reopen in New York to strict guidelines

Tuesday, April 21, 2020

Leisure activities including marinas, golf courses back open in NY

Kristin Thorne has more on the reopening of leisure activities like golf courses and boat marinas in New York.

LONG ISLAND (WABC) -- Jeff Strong, owner of Strong's Marine based in Mattituck, is one of the few business owners on Long Island who has been able to reopen his business and put dozens of workers back on the job.

New York State has allowed marinas to reopen with strict safety guidelines.

"We're very appreciative to be able to come back to work and equally appreciative for our clients to be able get out on their boats," Strong said.

Strong said he had been paying his staff during the closure, but is now able to put 70 workers officially back on the books.

Strong said his staff understands they need to follow strict social distancing and sanitizing protocols, which was discussed during a conference call with his management team Sunday.

"Listen, we could lose this if we're not real careful," he said.

Supervisor of the Town of Hempstead, Don Clavin, said the town's public safety officers and constables will be monitoring the town's marinas and waterways to make sure boaters are following social distancing.

Boaters are being encouraged to allow only immediate family members on their boats and are not permitted to hold large tie-up gatherings out on the water. Clavin said boaters have to maintain social distancing in the marinas while refueling their boats and launching.

"We have to do this smart and if we do this smart and we do this cautiously and we follow the directives that we're being told by the medical experts even in boating we'll get passed this," Clavin said.

New York State is also allowing golf courses to reopen with strict guidelines.

Golfers are not allowed to use golf carts and must carry their own clubs. They must maintain strict social distancing.

The only golf course employees allowed back to work are grounds keeping and security.

As of Monday afternoon, public golf courses in Nassau County were still closed.

Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said the county wants to have safety rules and regulations in place and make sure golfers are aware of them before reopening the golf courses.

"We're putting plans in place, so hang tight, we're going to tell you soon when you can go back to the greens and tee off," she said.

Curran said the golf courses should open in a few days.