Riverbend Park in Cambridge to Open on May 24 and May 31 as Part of Pilot Program; Fresh Pond Golf Course to Open May 21

The City of Cambridge today announced that the Thomas P. O'Neill Jr./Fresh Pond Golf Course will open for the season on Thursday, May 21 and Riverbend Park will be opened for the next two Sundays as part of a pilot program. 

The Thomas P. O'Neill Jr./ Fresh Pond Golf Course will open on Thursday, May 21 under previously announced operational guidelines. The course will close to walkers and members of the public at dusk on May 20. Under the course’s temporary guidelines, all players must have a tee time reserved prior to their arrival and may not arrive sooner than 15 minutes before tee off. Tee times will be 15 minutes apart. All players must stay in their cars until their group has been called up to tee off. Only four players will be allowed to tee off at a time and all players are required to exit the golf course parking lot immediately after they conclude golfing. An area for waiting will be established for golfers coming to the golf course not in a vehicle or by ride sharing company to ensure proper social distancing. 

Hours of operation at the golf course will be reduced from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tee times must be paid in full by credit card or Venmo at the time tee time reservations are made. Players will have up to two hours prior to tee time to cancel or reduce the number of golfers. The putting green will remain closed. No golf instruction, league play, tournament play, or large gatherings will be allowed. All players will be allowed to play only 9 holes and must use their own clubs as rental clubs will not be available.

Staff will be stationed throughout the golf course enforcing social distancing rules and the use of face coverings.Several hand sanitizer stations will be located throughout the golf course and adjacent to the parking area. For additional information, visit http://www.freshpondgolf.com/

The City of Cambridge also announced a pilot program with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), which will open Riverbend Park to the general public on Sunday, May 24, 2020, and Sunday, May 31, 2020. During these days, Memorial Drive will be closed to vehicular traffic from 11 a.m. to 7p.m.  Following the pilot program, the City and DCR will re-evaluate the opening of Riverbend Park. The pilot program will allow the City and DCR to assess crowd capacity, compliance with social distancing practices, and the use of face coverings.

With the Governor announcing a Safer at Home Advisory this week and the ongoing improvement in local COVID-19 data, officials with DCR, the City Manager, Chief Public Health Officer, Police Commissioner, Fire Chief, and the Director of Traffic, Parking and Transportation agreed to a pilot to evaluate the public health impacts of opening Riverbend Park. The proposed pilot was also discussed with the City’s Expert COVID-19 Advisory Panel.

Members of the public are reminded that they should maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet from non-household members and should wear face coverings at all times while outdoors. 

For more information and to sign up to receive updates on COVID-19, please visit the City’s dedicated information page: https://www.cambridgema.gov/covid19