(WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The Morton Arboretum in west suburban Lisle is welcoming visitors back for the first time today since the coronavirus pandemic.
"We're just excited that we can get back out and do something that's a little different from just walking in circles around our neighborhood," Valerie Lentz, a mother of three visiting the arboretum, said Monday.
Under Phase 3 of Governor Pritzker's reopening plan, the 1,700-acre property is open to the public, with some restrictions in place.
"One of the biggest things for people to anticipate is that everyone who visits will need to secure timed-entry admission before they actually arrive at the arboretum," said Alicia LeVire, vice president of marketing and communications for the Morton Arboretum.
"Passes are complimentary for our members and then tickets can be secured by other visiting guests, and this is really an effort to ensure that social distancing and to meter the traffic to the arboretum throughout the course of the day."
Other safety precautions include designated one-way paths and flags marking every six feet near high-traffic exhibits.
While most exhibits are open, others will remain closed for time being, including the Children's Garden, Maze Garden as well as the Ginko restaurant.
