Charleston County

Charleston County Parks Adapts Programs, Events During Pandemic

By Nick Krueger, Marketing Social Media Coordinator at Charleston County Park & Recreation Commission

When the world started to gradually reopen last summer and masks became a part of daily life, Charleston County Parks knew recreation opportunities weren’t going to look the same. From our climbing wall to concerts and races, our staff got to work brainstorming how to give guests a safe opportunity to be outdoors. For our Sprint Triathlon Series, we lowered the capacity and had an individual staggered start with six feet of distance between racers. Staff and volunteers were required to wear masks and bike rack placement was adjusted to promote social distancing. To limit the crowds, we asked that only racers show up at the event and promised a Facebook Live feed so families could cheer the participants on from home. “You and your team did an amazing job,” one customer said. “At 71 years young, I was concerned that I would not feel safe and would need to bail out. At no time did I feel unsafe. Your team’s attention to detail is amazing.” At our Climbing Wall, we shifted from a walk-up and drop-in attendance format to time slots with limited capacity. Climbers signed-up online or over the phone. Safety equipment such as harnesses, which couldn’t withstand the chemical disinfectants, were quarantined for 72 hours after a customer used it. We also added more auto-belays to reduce risk by eliminating hundreds of feet of high touch ropes. In turn, we lowered the demands and the possibility of Covid-19 exposure to staff. For our customers with disabilities who are more vulnerable to Covid-19 infections, our Festival and Event Team created a

“At 71 years young, I was concerned that I would not feel safe and would need to bail out. At no time did I feel unsafe. Your team’s attention to detail is amazing.”