To avoid crowds and ensure social distancing, the grass of New York’s Domino Park has been painted with white circles. Located in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood, the waterfront park is one of the first in the city to devise a way for implementing social distancing by six feet (1.8 metres) – a procedure recommended by the CDC and government to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.
The design, which was revealed on Friday 15 May, comprises a series of white circles applied with chalk paint onto a plot of AstroTurf, or artificial grass. They mark out circles for groups or individuals to sit inside.
Opened to the public in 2018, Brooklyn’s Domino Park is a quarter-mile waterfront park designed by James Corner Field Operations and built by Two Trees. The park offers a number of unique features such as an extension of river street, which used to abruptly stop on grand street; effectively walling off the community and residents that live in the area to the east river. The continuation made possible by Domino Park provides a direct access route to the waterfront with views of Manhattan’s iconic skyline.
The emphasis on social distancing comes as New York City has recorded more than 195,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including more than 15,800 deaths, according to the city’s Health Department. While several upstate regions have been allowed to begin reopening, much of New York (including the city) remains under the “New York State on PAUSE” order, which has been in place since March 22.
New Yorkers are also required to wear face masks in public to prevent the spread of the contagious virus, protecting against unintentional transmission from asymptomatic individuals. Things like team sports are not being allowed in parks, but the city is encouraging people to get out for exercise.
“You can run, bike, walk your dog, and relax while maintaining social distance and wearing a face covering,” the city’s Department of Parks & Recreation tweeted over the weekend.