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Municipalities are posting signs to remind visitors to keep their distance.

March 28 COVID-19 Briefs: Public Parks Push Passive Use

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Group Games Banned in Public Parks


Communities including North Adams have been removing hoop rims to discourage youth congregating at public parks.
Reminder that playgrounds and sports facilities are closed during the state of emergency. Walking paths, fields and benches are still open but group activities and sports such as basketball are prohibited. Playground equipment is not being sanitized and should not be used. Remember to maintain social distancing of 6 feet or more.
 
North Adams Administrative Officer Michael Canales said the hoop rims were removed from parks including Noel Field and UNO because young people were gathering there.
 
"Right now parks only for passive recreation," he said. "We removed the rims because even if they're passing a basketball between them, they're making contact through the ball. ... We want them to socially distance."
 
North Adams has installed large signs at the parks reminding residents of the rules but Canales acknowledged it has been difficult to enforce at the skate park. 
 
Adams has also closed all its athletic fields, skate park and playground equipment, although passive use can continue including on the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail if people follow the 6-foot rule. 
 
Pittsfield is removing some of its playground equipment and roping off areas to discourage use.
 
State parks are also open, however, "if visitors of state parks observe areas with high concentrations of people, the public is asked to leave the location and either visit a different park in the area or return at a later date or time."
 

Pittsfield Updates Meal Sites

Effective Monday, March 30, the Pittsfield Public Schools will begin a new schedule for breakfast and lunch service. Meal service for will run from noon to 1 p.m.
 
The program will be in effect Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. On each day that the meal program is in operation, students will receive meals for multiple days.
 
The new schedule is as follows:
  • Monday: meals for Monday and Tuesday
  • Wednesday: meals for Wednesday and Thursday
  • Friday: meals for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
The following sites throughout Pittsfield are as follows:
  • Morningside Community School, 100 Burbank St.
  • Conte Community School, 200 West Union St.
  • Dower Square Housing Village, 253 Wahconah St.
  • The Berkshire Family YMCA, 292 North St.
  • Boys & Girls Club of the Berkshires,16 Melville St.
  • Brattlebrook Apartments, April Lane.
  • Berkshire Peak Apartments, 341 West St.
  • Wilson Park Housing, Memorial Drive.
 

Lenox Offices Closed

The Lenox Town Hall offices are closed and staff are checking emails and voicemails remotely. A drop box has been placed in the Police Department lobby intended for correspondence that would normally have to be dropped off in a town office.
 

Orchards Hotel Closes

The Orchards Hotel in Williamstown posted on Facebook that it was closing "in the best interest of our community at large."
 
"Per directives and guidance from state officials and the CDC, and in light of recent events, it means that we have made the difficult choice to suspend operations at our hotel for the time being," wrote general manager Janell LaFleche. "We are monitoring this evolving situation constantly and look forward to reopening our doors and welcoming you as soon as possible."

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North Adams Regional Reopens With Ribbon-Cutting Celebration

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff

BHS President and CEO Darlene Rodowicz welcomes the gathering to the celebration of the hospital's reopening 10 years to the day it closed. 
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The joyful celebration on Thursday at North Adams Regional Hospital was a far cry from the scene 10 years ago when protests and tears marked the facility's closing
 
Hospital officials, local leaders, medical staff, residents and elected officials gathered under a tent on the campus to mark the efforts over the past decade to restore NARH and cut the ribbon officially reopening the 136-year-old medical center. 
 
"This hospital under previous ownership closed its doors. It was a day that was full of tears, anger and fear in the Northern Berkshire community about where and how residents would be able to receive what should be a fundamental right for everyone — access to health care," said Darlene Rodowicz, president and CEO of Berkshire Health Systems. 
 
"Today the historic opportunity to enhance the health and wellness of Northern Berkshire community is here. And we've been waiting for this moment for 10 years. It is the key to keeping in line with our strategic plan which is to increase access and support coordinated county wide system of care." 
 
Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield, under the BHS umbrella, purchased the campus and affiliated systems when Northern Berkshire Healthcare declared bankruptcy and closed on March 28, 2014. NBH had been beset by falling admissions, reductions in Medicare and Medicaid payments, and investments that had gone sour leaving it more than $30 million in debt. 
 
BMC was able to reopen the ER as an emergency satellite facility and slowly restored and enhanced medical services including outpatient surgery, imaging, dialysis, pharmacy and physician services. 
 
But it would take a slight tweak in the U.S. Health and Human Services' regulations — thank to U.S. Rep. Richie Neal — to bring back inpatient beds and resurrect North Adams Regional Hospital 
 
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