Jacksonville to Reopen Beaches and Parks for Essential Activities

'This can be the beginning of the pathway back to normal life,' says Mayor Lenny Curry

Golfers bump elbows at Windsor Parke Golf Club in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, on March 25, 2020. Sam Greenwood/Getty Images

The mayor of Jacksonville, Fla., said the city’s beaches and parks will reopen at 5 p.m. on Friday but with some restrictions remaining in place to minimize the spread of COVID-19.

Mayor Lenny Curry said in an April 16 statement that parks and beaches throughout Duval County would reopen but only for essential activities and in line with social distancing guidelines.