Five national park sites in Southwestern Pennsylvania are open to visitors after being closed since March 20 because of the coronavirus pandemic.
U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt joined Superintendent Stephen Clark Friday morning to open the gates at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Somerset County.
“We’ve been closed for 56 days,” Clark said. “And I have to say, even when we’re closed for a snowstorm for a day or two, or an ice storm, it just kills me.”
National parks around the country recently started phased reopenings for visitors as states ease restrictions on businesses and residents in an effort to restart the nation’s economy. Friday marked the first step in a gradual reopening for five parks: Flight 93, Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site, Johnstown Flood National Memorial, Fort Necessity National Battlefield and Friendship Hill National Historic Site.
Visitors centers at all of the sites will remain closed.
Clark said the move was precipitated by Gov. Tom Wolf’s decision last week to allow counties in the region to enter the yellow phase of a three-tiered reopening plan, which lifted stay-at-home restrictions and some business closures. Bernhardt said officials spent time examining each park facility to determine what level of service could be offered to the public while maintaining guidelines to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
The parks will encourage social distancing and some rangers will be wearing masks.
“I fundamentally believe that our public lands and our parks can serve as a place of solace, reflection, rejuvenation and, here, a moment of perspective,” Bernhardt said.
Forty passengers and crew members of United Flight 93 were killed in a field in Stonycreek Township, Somerset County, on Sept. 11, 2001, when they wrested control of the airplane from four hijackers. The national memorial is nearly complete. Park officials are awaiting the installation of chimes in the Tower of Voices.
Bernhardt helped park rangers clean the marble Wall of Names for a few moments Friday morning after the park opened.
“Right now, our public lands, I think, can serve a critical purpose when you look at all of the things that are happening,” he said. “We can play a more important role in this perhaps than we otherwise would.”
Park rangers will keep their distance from visitors, but will be on hand to greet them and explain the sites, Clark said.
“We are giving the American people back the five national park units because they own them,” he said. “These are the peoples’ parks.”
