City of Athens Closures for Independence DayCity of Athens Closures for Independence Day As Athens and its surroundings prepare for Independence Day, here are important closures to note on Thursday, July 4th: Animal Care * Animal shelter/adoption center closed * No non-urgent calls handled; emergency services provided by calling 911 Leisure Services * All parks open, but amenities (Sandy Creek Nature Center, Lyndon House Arts Center, community centers) closed * Heard Park, Lay Park, Memorial Park, Rocksprings Park pool and water play area, and Walker Park water play area open from 1:00 PM to 5:30 PM * Bishop Park pool remains closed Solid Waste * No compost, waste, recycling, leaf and branch collection * Landfill, materials recycling facility, and CHaRM facility closed Transit * Public transport offices and bus services closed; normal summer timetable resumes Friday Other Offices * All general department administrative offices and facilities (City Hall, Courthouse, etc.) closed Oconee County * Government offices closed Additional Information * Post offices closed; no mail deliveries * UPS and FedEx pickup and delivery services limited; check with local stores * Many major retail chains and restaurant chains open on July 4th, with varying hours
As Athens and its surroundings prepare for Independence Day, here’s a quick rundown of what will be closed on Thursday:
Animal care
- The animal shelter/adoption center is closed on Thursday, July 4th.
- No non-urgent calls will be handled. Non-urgent service calls will resume on Friday.
- Emergency services, such as an animal bite, a seriously ill or injured animal, or an animal trapped in a living space of a home, are provided during the holidays by calling 911.
For more information, visit www.accgov.com/animalservices.
Leisure services
- All parks, including Sandy Creek Park, are open as usual.
- Amenities (including Sandy Creek Nature Center, Lyndon House Arts Center and all community centers) are closed Thursday.
- Heard Park, Lay Park, Memorial Park, Rocksprings Park pool and water play area, and Walker Park water play area are open from 1:00 PM to 5:30 PM. Please note: Bishop Park pool remains closed for the 2024 season.
- From Friday, normal opening hours will apply again to all parks and facilities.
For more information, visit www.accgov.com/leisure.
More: The Athens area is getting ready to bloom! Here are some upcoming 4th of July festivities
Solid waste
- There is no compost, waste, recycling or leaf and branch collection on Thursdays.
- The landfill, materials recycling facility and CHaRM facility are closed.
- Normal collection times will apply again on Friday.
- Waste and recycling are collected on a scheduled basis from commercial garbage trucks, dumpsters and city center dumpsters.
For more information, visit www.accgov.com/solidwaste.
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Transit
- Public transport offices and bus services will be closed on Thursday and the normal summer timetable will resume on Friday.
For more information, visit www.accgov.com/transit.
Other offices
All general department administrative offices and facilities (City Hall, Courthouse, Satula Avenue Building, Dougherty Street Governmental Building) are closed on Thursday.
Oconee County Government offices are closed on Thursday.
Curious about the email? All post offices are closed for retail transactions and there will be no regular mail deliveries for individuals or businesses. UPS pickup and delivery services will not be available on the 4th of July and retail locations may be closed. Check with your local store for specific hours. Most FedEx pickup and delivery services will not be available on the 4th of July and you should check your local store hours. Priority and critical mailing services are available year-round, including the 4th.
Do you want to go shopping or out for dinner? Many retail chains have confirmed they will be open on July 4, including Kroger, Target, Walmart, Sam’s Club, Publix and Food Lion. Many restaurant chains, including McDonald’s, Chick-fil-A, Olive Garden and Dunkin’ have also said they will be open, but hours will vary depending on the location.
Contribution: USA Today reporter Gabe Hauari
