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City of LA Playgrounds Reopening After Coronavirus Closures
The city of Los Angeles started reopening dozens of playgrounds Monday after a six-month closure designed to slow the spread of COVID-19.
“All playgrounds can be reopened for public use with mandatory social distancing and limited use up to 30 minutes,” reads an update on the Recreation and Parks website.
Playgrounds will begin to re-open individually as reconditioning cleaning, signage and safety inspections are completed.
At Sycamore Grove Park near Highland Park this afternoon, the remnants of caution tape were still wrapped around the jungle gym. Guillermo De La Torre sat on a nearby bench with his 7-year-old son.
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It was one of De La Torre's days off work driving for a seafood distribution company; on those days he brings his son to the park when his virtual school finishes up at noon.
"Fresh air is very important, because being cooped up in our apartment is frustrating," he said.
Has your neighborhood playground reopened? Email me at mdale@scpr.org to tell me how it's going.
The California Department of Public Health last week announced playgrounds could reopen throughout the state, but local jurisdictions have the final say. L.A. County playgrounds remained closed as of Monday, while Orange County playgrounds welcomed kids and families back last Thursday.
Here are the state’s guidelines for playing safe:
- Everyone 2 years and older should wear a mask.
- Stay six feet apart from people from other households.
- No eating or drinking, so face masks stay on.
- Wash your hands.
- Plan ahead and visit when you can avoid crowds.
- Stay home if you’re elderly or have an underlying medical condition.
- Share: To prevent crowding limit your visit to 30 minutes when other people are waiting to play.
READ MORE ABOUT HOW TO (NEW) LA:
- What’s Open And What Are The Rules?
- Is It Safe Out There?
- The 5 Most Important Things To Know About The Outside World
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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