Submitted Photo Minot Parks Director Ron Merritt lines up a shot at the Souris Valley Golf Course during a past golf season. The golf course will re-open for the 2020 season as soon as weather permits.

Souris Valley Golf Course will be opening soon under new procedures designed to avoid coronavirus spread.

The Minot Park Board met Wednesday to discuss park operations in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Parks Director Ron Merritt said the snow this week will delay the planned opening of Souris Valley somewhat, but the course will be opened as soon as weather permits, likely sometime next week.

The park district also is taking registrations for summer recreation under the assumption those programs could begin after June 1. Residents can sign up online at minotparks.com.

The procedures in place for public safety at the golf course require reservations in advance for tee times in 10-minute increments. Up to four players will be allowed in a group. Payment information can be taken over the phone at the time of reservation or check in and a receipt will be emailed. Cash will be accepted on site.

Only one customer at a time will be allowed at the check-in window. No rental or demo clubs will be used. No rakes, ball washers, water jugs and benches will be on the course.

Cups on the course will have cut-off floaties so golfers can putt and not touch the cup. Restrooms on the course and in the clubhouse will be cleaned and sterilized throughout the day.

Golf course equipment from driving range buckets to push carts will be cleaned and sterilized after every use. Golf carts will be pressured washed. Range balls will be washed every time they are picked. With the use of the ball dispenser, there will be little handling of range balls.

Driving range stations will be placed 10 feet apart, and the number of people allowed will not be more than the number of stations in place.

Rental cart customers will ride alone, unless from the same household, until virus conditions improve.

With the slowdown in general activity due to the virus this spring, park district employees are deep-cleaning facilities, doing maintenance and completing activities that normally would be pushed off to less busy times. Merritt said they are preparing facilities to open at some point in the future.

“Outdoor facilities, parks and trails are open. Playgrounds are open as well. We are not promoting people to swarm our playgrounds and use them heavily, but our parks, trails, playgrounds are public properties that were not designed to be closed easily. So we’re taking steps that we feel are prudent to make sure they are safe, knowing that we would have a very hard time closing those properties off,” Merritt said.

Families can use the basketball courts, tennis courts and the ball fields that are open in the North and South Hill complexes, but they are advised to avoid group gatherings.

Playgrounds and restrooms are disinfected about twice a day. Merritt said park staff will be monitoring park properties and breaking up large congregations of people.

“We’re asking everybody to follow CDC guidelines and the guidelines from our health department and the governor,” he said, adding that people should get out and enjoy the parks responsibly.

“We’re not having problems with our patrons. We drive around and look. People are following the rules as best as we can tell, and we will be continuing to watch it. If people call and complain, we will immediately check out the situation,” Merritt said.

In other business, the board accepted the low bid of $594,400 from DLC Construction, Minot, for Polaris Park Improvements. The full project cost is $755,647, which is about $300,000 below the engineer’s estimate.

The park’s warming house will be renovated with additional insulation, new siding, new interior, accessible restrooms and construction of a canopy shelter in back. New hockey boards, netting, fencing and lighting will be installed, and the parking lot will be resloped and paved.