Harris County, Texas - April 8, 2020, County Judge Lina Hidalgo today will sign an order closing all county public parks. The closures begin Friday, April 10th and will last through Easter weekend; prohibiting the use of county parks.
“We are at a critical moment in our fight against COVID-19, and we cannot afford to let our guard down,” Judge Hidalgo said. “We’re heartened that the actions we’re taking are already saving as many as 4,500 lives across Harris County. For so many of our residents, Easter and Passover is a time for spiritual fellowship with others, and I want to encourage that to continue at home and online during this critical period. The sooner we come through this together, the faster we’ll be able to return to normalcy and get our economy back up and running again. ”
Over the past 48 hours, Judge Hidalgo consulted with a wide array of elected officials regarding the decision, including Harris County Commissioners Cagle, Radack, Garcia, and Ellis. Hidalgo also notified mayors from across the county her intent to shutter county parks through the weekend prior to announcing the move and advised them to close their parks as well.
Photo: Getty
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo is the head of Harris County’s governing body and Director of the Harris County’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. Judge Hidalgo, alongside four County Precinct Commissioners, oversees a budget of approximately $5 billion that funds services and institutions for the third-largest county in the nation, home to nearly 5 million people. For more information about Harris County and the Office of the County Judge, please visit: cjo.harriscountytx.gov.