Raleigh parks summer camps canceled through at least June 26

Raleigh's popular summer camps are canceled through at least June 26 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the city announced Tuesday afternoon.

The city, according to the press release, is "following the guidance of state and local leadership and taking into consideration the health and safety of our participants and staff."

A full credit will be issued to all registered participants. If a refund is preferred, participants should email camp.registration@raleighnc.gov, according to the release.

City officials recognize that the decision will create a hardship for families. Tuesday's announcement said that it's assessing the feasibility of offering camps that are scheduled after June 26. An update will be issued by June 15. Registration for the city's summer camps began in early March.

"We are taking into consideration the ability to manage our camp program while maintaining small group sizes, following social distancing guidelines, and implementing other measures recommended by" the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention," the announcement said. "We are also exploring alternate locations for camps planned for Ravenscroft Academy, as the school has made the decision to restrict summer access to the campus by outside groups."