DM mayor bans sports, limits gatherings on city property

Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie has extended an emergency proclamation related to COVID-19, banning youth and adult sports and large events on city property.

“This pandemic and the risks it brings will not simply dissipate with time,” Cownie said in a statement. “It is my hope that the combination of continued compliance of community health measures and a vaccine will soon get the community back to a more normal and routine life.” 

Cownie’s amended emergency proclamation will limit to 30 people “an outdoor social, community, recreational, leisure or sporting gathering or event” that uses city streets or rights-of-way with a lease or permit. That is down from 250 people. 

That restriction includes parades, festivals, rallies, farmers’ markets, road races and neighborhood block parties, and some other events. 

The mayor also banned youth and adult sports and recreation activities on city property. The city’s community recreation centers were exempted and will remain open at 50% capacity, according to the proclamation.

The city continues to ban indoor gatherings of 10 people or more on public property or public rights-of-way.

The city’s administrative buildings will remain closed until at least Feb. 1. A mask mandate will remain in effect, with the same exemptions as before. 

Polk County has recorded 37,738 positive COVID-19 cases with 371 virus-related deaths.