City to open some parks, libraries Monday

The City of Chicago announced Sunday that several city services would be up and running Monday, including the reopening of some parks and libraries across the city.

Though the Lakefront Trail will remain closed, all lakefront parks west of Lake Shore Drive will be reopened to the public, city officials said. That includes Lincoln Park, Grant Park, Burnham Park, Harold Washington Park and Jackson Park, as well as the Jackson Park Golf Course and Diversey Driving Range.

Many of the Chicago Public Library’s neighborhood branches — along with the Harold Washington Library Center in the Loop — will reopen Monday as well, with new social distancing and safety guidelines that include guided paths and restricted capacities, officials said. A list of open branches and their hours can be found here.

Also, the city will be reopening the City Hall Payment Center at 400 W. Superior St., officials said, though residents are still encouraged to use kiosks or the online portal. Drivers with unpaid tickets who weren’t penalized before March 18 will be notified of due dates for their fines.

Residents are still required to wear masks, practice social distancing and stay home if they feel sick, officials said.

The announcement comes about two-and-a-half months after Illinois was first shut down to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Since then, a total of 127,757 Illinois residents have tested positive, with 5,904 of them dying.