Mayor Jon Pike Urges Washington to Close Zions National Park

Mayor Jon Pike Urges Washington
to Close Zions National Park

In a letter sent to David L. Bernhardt, the Secretary of the Interior in Washington, DC. Mayor Jon Pike reported the results of recent discussions he’s had with Superintendent Jeff Bradybaugh of Zion National Park and along with other local leaders.

Below is a copy of the letter Mayor Pike sent.

Dear Secretary Bernhardt,

Based on recent discussions with Superintendent Jeff Bradybaugh of Zion National Park and
other local leaders, we have concluded that our residents may be endangered by the park
remaining open during the COVID-19 global pandemic. Therefore, with unanimous support
from the St. George City Council, we ask that you immediately close down Zion National Park, temporarily, to better allow us to slow the spread of COVID-19.

We acknowledge the economic impacts of a temporary shutdown are significant and harmful. Last year, nearly 4.5 million visitors entered Zion — the vast majority from outside our area. Yet that is exactly why Zion National Park must now close; the fewer visitors that come to St. George, the better equipped and staffed Dixie Regional Medical Center can be to handle residents in need of treatment for COVID-19.

We appreciate the wonderful relationship we have with Superintendent Bradybaugh and the
sensitivity he has shown to our input in the past. As elected officials, the Council and I know that our top priority is to protect our residents, many of whom are elderly. In fact, it is our moral obligation. The exigencies of this situation have already led us to take extraordinary measures, as a city, to fight this pandemic. We urge you to shut down Zion National Park to help us protect our citizenry.

Sincerely, Jon Pike

We here at The Independent agree this is the most prudent line of action we can take at this time given the scale and the risk for potential exposure.

So far, southern Utah has managed to fair very well at following the guidelines that are coming to us through our local, state, and national leaders but not everyone is taking all of these things as seriously as they should. For southern Utah, this is definitely a step towards ensuring our safety and the safety of others.