While the Dallas Zoo and the Children’s Aquarium at Fair Park are closed until Friday, March 20, Dallas Arboretum VP Terry Lendecker reports that “based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the World Health Organization and applicable public health agencies, we’ve developed plans that will allow us to respond timely.”
Those plans include the following:
- The Grand Tasting scheduled for Thursday, March 26, and the Food and Wine Festival scheduled for Saturday, March 28, and Sunday March 29, have been postponed until the fall.
- The Dallas Arboretum will remain open to the public with limited access to each area. Gardens and parks across America have provided a welcome respite from the world around us. Many people are flocking to gardens just as they did after 9/11 during insecure times. We encourage all to walk in the fresh air of their neighborhoods, local parks or around the beauty of our lakes.
- Our housekeeping and sanitization efforts in the garden have been expanded. We’re frequently disinfecting often-touched surfaces such as door handles, countertops and restroom surfaces and added bathroom attendants for the safety of our guests. We’re asking all of our staff and guests to follow the CDC guidelines to prevent the spread of infection.
- We are taking extra precautions by closing all buildings, limiting public events and limiting food service as of today.
- The Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden will be closed on Saturday, March 14, and reopen when we receive word from city officials.
She also stressed that “if you are among higher-risk population, we recommend you follow the advice of our local officials and check CDC guidelines when planning any visits to the garden.”
* Photo provided by Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden