COLUMBIA, S.C. — Riverbanks Zoo & Garden will start requiring visitors to wear masks to comply with a new ordinance passed by the City of Columbia.
The change begins Friday, June 26.
"Safety is our top priority and we are trying to be mindful of the city's ordinance," Riverbanks Zoo and Garden Communication Director Susan O'Cain said.
The Columbia City Council approved the ordinance Tuesday and it goes into effect at 6 a.m. Friday. It requires people to wear masks in most public situations, including going into businesses and retail stores and being out in public in crowded situations where social distancing is difficult.
Children under the age of 11 and people with medical conditions that could be affected by wearing masks would be exempt.
"We do encourage our guest visiting the park to bring their face masks," O'Cain said. "As you come through the gates and are not wearing your face mask our staff may ask, you know, do you have a mask, do you need to purchase a face mask, do you have an underlying health condition, obviously if they see children under ten the exceptions under the ordinance we are very mindful of."
The zoo reopened in late May after shutting down in March when the number of cases in the state began to rise.
"We've seen about 80,000 people come through the gates since we did reopen to the public," O'Cain said. "It's good, it's not exactly where we want to be or where we need to be, you know, we are used to welcoming 1.2 million to 1.3 million visitors each year."
The attraction put in several safety protocols of its own to reopen, including requiring a time reservation to go inside. They also added additional hand washing stations and hand sanitzer dispensers.
"One step forward everyday, right, so we are just happy to be open and encouraged by the members and guest that come through the gates each day," O'Cain said.