KPBS just broke the news: playgrounds in California can now open! Hooray!
Help us spread the word.
According to KPBS, “[t]he change came after KPBS found that public playgrounds in the state were closed indefinitely and officials had no plans to reopen them. This prompted state Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez [of San Diego] to write a letter to the governor asking for guidance on reopening playgrounds, and then draft another letter signed by 23 State representatives.”
On Monday night, San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer posted on Twitter that he directed “staff to prepare playgrounds for a safe reopening based on new guidance just issued by the state in response to our bipartisan calls for common sense.”
KPBS noted:
“Since the beginning of the pandemic, playgrounds across the city have been wrapped in orange fencing and caution tape. The barriers have been replaced, sometimes daily, when kids or their parents pull them down.
Playgrounds were not part of any phased reopening plans at the local or state level, even though a growing body of evidence shows that COVID-19 is much more likely to be passed when breathing and talking, not by touching surfaces.
Many parents were furious that playgrounds remained closed while indoor places like bars and restaurants opened.”
But there are a few new rules:
– Everyone age two and up must wear a face mask
– Different households should keep 6 feet apart, and families should come back later if a playground is too crowded to make this social distancing possible
– Families should limit their visits to 30 minutes when others are present
– No eating or drinking
– Wash hands before and after
– Caregivers must supervise children to make sure they follow these rules
A huge thank you 📣 to KPBS and to State Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzales in San Diego District 80 – who pushed the issue with the State from beginning to end.
Time for Del Mar Union School District to get with the program on our local school-owned playgrounds that have been closed at the Heights and Hills. We say: unlock the gates for the kids!!
John Gartman
Play Outside Del Mar 