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Memorial Day Weekenders In LA's COVID-19 Era Were (Mostly) Well-Behaved
Bianca Freitas (L), Mayara Sonego (C) and Aurore (last name not given) (R) wear face masks while watching the sunset from Griffith Park on May 24, 2020. (Apu Gomes/AFP via Getty Images) (APU GOMES/AFP via Getty Images)
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The unofficial start of our COVID-19 summer brought even more people out to trails and beaches than usual. And for the most part, officials say, we did good.
"Overall our parks this weekend were busy but very manageable and people were really enjoying our public amenities in a safe way," said Norma Garcia, acting director of the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation.
Of the 184 parks the department operates, 183 remained open throughout the weekend. The one exception was Eaton Canyon Park, where crowds of people ignored rules about social distancing and jumped fences to get on the trail, Garcia said.
"We had electronic signage letting the public know that our parking lots were full," Garcia said. "Unfortunately, the public decided to enter the park not using our access points and that created much more overcrowding in some of the waterfalls areas."
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Eaton Canyon for ya lol i think if ol girl and I knew it was gonna be a amusement park here we probably wouldve passed pic.twitter.com/A49LRAi1ch
— 七٢ᵉᑎ七 (@Trent____) May 17, 2020
In Hermosa Beach, the reopening of the famous strand boardwalk went fine, said Police Chief Paul LeBaron, except for some alcohol to-go orders.
“People need to understand those alcoholic beverages need to be taken home," and not drunk outside, the chief said.
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