The City of Newton is reopening its parks and the historic depot for the first time since the pandemic forced their shutdown a year ago.
The parks will reopen at 7 a.m. Wednesday, and rentals of the historic depot will resume on Wednesday as well.
The Newton Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved reopening the parks at its meeting Tuesday night with a 4-1 vote. Alderwoman Linda Wash was the long “nay” vote.
The parks will open at 7 a.m. and remain open until dusk. Mayor Murray Weems said it will be the responsibility of the police department to open and close the parks each day.
In a related matter, the city also reopened the historic depot for rentals also beginning Wednesday. The matter came up when Ward 1 Alderman Michael Hillie brought a request by Newton High School to have its prom at the historic depot on May 8.
Wash and Alderwoman Romonica Evans said that if the city approved that for the high school, they would have to do it for everyone.
Parks and recreation director Jay Powell also said he has a waiting list for rentals when the city would allow rentals to begin again. He was not sure at the time of the meeting if that date was even open to allow the high school to have its prom on that date.
Based on that discussion, the aldermen voted to open the depot for rentals and allow the high school to have its prom on May 8 if there is no conflict with anyone on the waiting list. The move also included a recommendation to follow the state’s guidelines for capacity.
Powell later confirmed that the high school could have the depot on May 8 due to there being no prior engagements.
However, the latest executive order signed by Gov. Tate Reeves did not include a limit to capacity for meeting spaces such as the depot.
