Rochester closes Rec Center, Graham Arena in effort to curb spread of Covid
The City of Rochester is putting a temporary halt to activities insides city-operated recreational facilities, including Graham Arena, the Rochester Recreation Center and the National Volleyball Center, as cases of Covid-19 continue to spike in Olmsted County and across the country.
The announcement of the closures was first made Friday afternoon in a tweet from Rochester Mayor Kim Norton. The mayor also said “other approaches [are] being considered,” but did not specify.
According to city officials, activities at the recreational facilities will be paused from Sunday, November 15 through Monday, November 30. The status of the activities will be be re-evaluated in one week, they said.
Other measures being taken by the city include moving all city board and commissions meetings to a virtual-only format beginning Monday.
“The majority of City services remain fully functional thanks to the various online and digital tools that we have available,” City Administrator Steve Rymer said in a news release. “By taking the step of reducing in-person interactions, we are being proactive and doing our part to slow the spread of COVID-19. We ask everyone continue to wear masks and practice social distancing as we get through this together.”
The announcement from the city comes as new restrictions limiting social gatherings take effect in Minnesota. Restaurants and bars are now required to close at 10 p.m. Events will be limited to a capacity of 50 people.
Olmsted County saw a record high 567 new cases last week. The seven-day rolling average now sits at 123 new cases per day.
Related: Covid testing moving indoors
