As Guam begins the road to recovery after Typhoon Sinlaku—some of the island’s most familiar public spaces are now off limits. From parks to shorelines—the Department of Parks & Recreation has closed all public parks indefinitely—as crews race to assess damage, clear debris, and make these spaces safe again. But the biggest concern—what you can’t always see…strong currents and hazardous water conditions—still putting lives at risk in the storm’s aftermath.

What may look like a return to normal is far from it. In the wake of Sinlaku—some of Guam’s most popular public spaces remain closed as hidden dangers linger across the island. The agency has shut down all public parks until further notice—as crews conduct mandatory damage assessments and begin cleanup operations.

Parks & Rec deputy director Warren Pelletier told KUAM News, "After the governor and lieutenant governor put out the COR4 notice, all of our staff and had a meeting with all of them, and as we learned from Typhoon Mawar, and what we did is seperated it into four groups - and we assigned them to north, central, and south, and some historical parks and monuments, and we assigned to do preliminary asssessments of ones that mostly frequented by locals and visitors."

Pelletier says most of staff have completed assessments, adding, "They're going to compile that information, put it in a format we used in the past typhoons."

Officials say the priority is safety—not just for the public—but also for first responders working through unstable conditions. And while skies may be clearing—the ocean tells a different story. Parks & Rec is warning residents to stay out of the water—as strong currents and post-storm conditions continue to pose a serious threat.

"This is what the people of Guam have to realize: a lot of us don't know how to swim, they think they know how to swim, there's a lot of surfers and try to swim in these conditions, it is dangerous. There's no ifs , ands, or buts about it. This is a dangerous situation and we can not afford to put first responders, our park police, life guards or VSOs, there is a surge of water, and it's going to sweep you off your feet."

Parks will reopen in phases—but only after they are deemed safe. Until then—maintenance crews will continue clearing debris and repairing damage across multiple sites.

At Tiguac Cemetery—cleanup efforts are also underway. While burial services will continue as scheduled—the grounds remain closed to the general public—with officials estimating about a week before it can safely reopen.

The storm also left its mark on Park & Rec facilities—including the main office and Paseo De Susana Stadium—both of which sustained significant damage. Officials are asking for patience as cleanup and assessments continue—reminding the community that staying away now… will help ensure these spaces can safely reopen soon.

"We just want to make sure the general public is safe. We're going to focus on Paseo, Ypao, and Matapang, because those are the frequented parks," said Pelletier.

The agency says additional updates will be provided as conditions improve.