City health, safety leaders, other agencies and partners today (Friday, May 15) shed more light on the first week of Phase One of the safe reopening of New Orleans as part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19 has that claimed nearly 500 lives in New Orleans and more than 2,000 deaths statewide. While the state moved into Phase One of its reopening on May 15, New Orleans will not ease restrictions until 6 a.m. Saturday, May 16.
Mayor LaToya Cantrell outlined the parameters of Phase One earlier this week.
Mayor Cantrell issued the official proclamation for Phase One reopening today (May 15). To read the proclamation, click here. To read the New Orleans Health Department’s formal guidelines for Phase One of the city’s COVID-19 reopening, click here.
Specific details on what the phased reopening will look like for various city agencies and departments are as follows:
New Orleans Recreation Development (NORD) Commission
Beginning Saturday, May 16, only outdoor parks, playgrounds, walking paths, trails, outdoor fitness centers, and outdoor tennis courts will open. Hours for all open, outdoor amenities are daylight to dusk. The playspot and passive playground play structures are still closed. A modified baseball and softball season will start in June.
Open Beginning Saturday, May 16:
- Outdoor playgrounds, parks, walking paths, trails
- Daylight to dusk
- Outdoor fitness centers (Joe W. Brown, Lafitte Greenway, St. Roch)
- Daylight to dusk
- Outdoor tennis courts
- Daylight to dusk
Open Beginning Monday, May 18:
- Feeding sites at Rec Centers and parks
- Mon-Fri 4 p.m.-6 p.m.
- Fitness Centers
- Cut-Off
- Milne
- Rosenwald
- Sanchez
- Stallings St. Claude
- Treme
- Mon-Fri, 10:30 a.m.-7 p.m.
- Reservations only (to manage 25% capacity)
- Must have a NORD Rec Trac card or account
- Tennis Centers (closed on Fridays)
- Joe W. Brown – Mon-Thur/Sat-Sun 8 a.m.-7 p.m.
- Atkinson Stern – Mon-Thur/Sat-Sun 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
- Gert Town Natatorium
- Mon-Fri 8 a.m.-7 p.m.
- Reservations only (to manage 25% capacity)
- Lap swim only
Recreation centers, gyms, multi-purpose rooms, programs, events, indoor pools at Treme, Joe W. Brown and Sanchez facilities, outdoor pools, stadiums, outdoor shelters, basketball courts, tennis courts, NORD programming, events and rentals are currently closed by will open in a phased approach over the upcoming 14 days or in a subsequent phase.
Summer camps, teen career camps, and youth camps will begin June 15, 2020 and last for six weeks, operating from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.
Visit www.nordc.org for more information
New Orleans Public Library (NOPL)
Libraries will not immediately reopen to the public. Library staff will return to work Monday, May 18, for training and planning sessions related to providing services based on the Phase One requirements for the safety of library users and staff. Since March 16, 92 percent of Library staff have been on Civil Leave, meaning Monday, May 18, will be the first opportunity to finalize plans together, as a library system. NOPL expects to provide finalized Phase One plans next week.
New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (RTA)
Beginning Sunday, May 17, at 3 a.m., RTA will return to Saturday service on all bus and streetcar routes, extend ferry operating hours and reinstate fare collection on all buses, streetcars and ferries. To promote social distancing, speed boarding, and to reduce line queuing, riders are also encouraged to pre-purchase fare via the GoMobile app available in the Apple App or Google Play stores.
Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans (SWBNO)
While SWBNO lobbies will remain closed for now, residents can still contact the agency by calling 52-WATER or 504-529-2837 to report issues, ask questions or pay bills, by fax 504-585-2455 or by email at customerservice@swbno.org.
To pay a SWBNO bill online, visit https://account.swbno.org/app/login.jsp
Bills can also be paid online or with a check or money order mailed to to the Cashiers Department at 625 St. Joseph St., New Orleans, LA 70165.
You can reach the plumbing department at 504-585-2160 or planreview@swbno.org. And house connections can be reached at 504-585-2164 or by fax at 504-585-2475.
Full details on the Safe Reopening of New Orleans are available online on the NOLA Ready website.
