Kennywood nixes no-mask zones

Kennywood’s mask-free break areas were short-lived, as the park has done away with them after its first weekend of the season, a spokesman for the park said Tuesday.

“(The signs and areas) have been removed as the attention paid to them detracted from the intensive health and safety measures that we have instituted to overwhelmingly positive guest feedback,” Nick Paradise said in an email.

The amusement park got a late start this summer because of the covid-19 pandemic, and stiff restrictions remain in place at the park. Face masks are mandatory – as they are across Pennsylvania when in public – and temperature checks are done on all guests before they enter the park.

The idea behind the mask-free zones was to allow people to take a break from their masks in the summer heat, and employees would monitor the areas for social distancing. Guests were encouraged to spend no more than 10 minutes there.

The park opened to season ticket holders on Friday and to the public on Monday. While state guidelines allow for amusement parks to operate at 50% capacity, Kennywood is limiting itself to 30% for the time being.

That capacity wasn’t a problem for the park’s opening weekend.

“Crowds were small but given the circumstances, that was to be expected,” Paradise said. “We heard very positive feedback from those in attendance about the new measures and how they were implemented by our staff.”