Untermyer Gardens Conservancy Site Safety Plan
- Only the main gate will be open with both doors propped open.. The Temple of Love gate and Aqueduct gate will be locked with signage directing visitors to the main gate.
- Barricades will be placed at the main gate to create entrance lines and exit route to separate people.
- Check in people will wear gloves and mask and be posted at the guard tent near the main gate to enforce keeping people/same household groups separated 6’ apart, which will be clearly marked with flagged stakes on the path.
- The approach path will have two parallel lines on the gravel path for alternating shifts, 12:00, 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, 4:00 and 5:00 on one side; 12:30, 1:30, 2:30, 3:30 and 4:30 on the other side. A chalkboard will indicate which line to wait in. Exiters will walk on the grass.
- Signage will be posted to reinforce the importance of social distancing, proper hygiene and requirement of masks.
- The capacity of the garden is 1800 people, so the permitted number allowed each day is 33% or 594 people. No more than 150 people can be in the entire garden at a time, using a timed reservation system arranged in advance. Registration requires checking off a disclaimer holding the City and Conservancy free from any claim. This system will register name, address, phone number and email address for each registrant. 50 people will be admitted every half hour with final entry at 5:00; 11 shifts totals 550 people, or less than 33% of capacity. Time slots will be booked one week at a time.
- Check in people will control the flow of visitors and will admit visitors when there are no exiters, so that people do not pass each other at the gate. The guard will verify people on the list as they are admitted. Only people on the list will be admitted. Once 150 people have entered, new people may enter only after others have left, regardless of ticket timing.
- Face masks will be required for all visitors over the age of 2 and medically able to wear a face mask at the main gate and throughout the garden, enforced by the guard. There will be a supply of extra masks and hand sanitizer at the check in tent. All visitors should use hand sanitizer.
- Barricades and cones will be placed throughout the garden to enforce a one-way traffic flow. Signage will indicate traffic flow; there will be short, medium and long route options. Laminated maps will be posted throughout the garden for reference.
- Some places which can get crowded will be taped off: the East Stoa at the Walled Garden, benches under the weeping beech trees, temple at the Temple of Love complex, bench at Rock/Stream Garden and arbor bench at the bottom of the Temple of Love. The drinking fountain will be taped off.
- The restrooms will be open. The City of Yonkers will provide an onsite cleaner (doors left open) to clean the bathrooms. If a visitor is confirmed to have COVID-19, all high-touch areas will be cleaned according to CDC guidelines.
- Several Untermyer Gardens Conservancy volunteers wearing masks will be stationed in the Walled Garden and Temple of Love complex in 2 hour shifts to promote social distancing of 6’ between household groups. If there is a problem, the Mayor’s Help Line will be called (914-377-4357). A site safety coordinator has been designated to ensure compliance with all aspects of the site safety plan. The security guard and volunteer monitors will be contacted daily by her regarding health issues (COVID symptoms, COVID testing, potential contact with COVID cases). The local and state health department will be informed of any positive test results. The site safety coordinator will be responsible for a daily log to keep track of employees/volunteers present.
- All visitors should stay at home if they are sick, or showing or feeling any COVID-19 symptoms, such as fever, coughing, and/or trouble breathing. Please stay away if you have come into contact within the last 14 days with anyone who is sick. Please follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)/State Department of Health (DOH) guidelines for preventing the spread of colds, flu and COVID-19.
- Some areas will be closed completely: Ornamental Vegetable Garden site, Rhododendron Walk, Ruin Garden, and most of the carriage trail.
- This plan will be posted conspicuously for public viewing and on the UGC website.