City of Sacramento playgrounds and outdoor recreational facilities, such as picnic tables, are now back open to the public with COVID-19 modifications, following new guidance from the California Department of Public Health on Monday.
“Throughout this pandemic, Sacramento parks have provided much needed opportunities for residents to spend time outdoors when many other activities were closed,” said Mario Lara, director of the department of Youth, Parks, & Community Enrichment. “We know that playground closures have been difficult on Sacramento families and we are excited to get the green light to reopen them. We will continue to educate residents on how to use them responsibly.”
Since the pandemic began, Youth, Parks, & Community Enrichment (YPCE) has stocked park restrooms with soap and hand sanitizer dispensers and provided additional hand washing stations in high traffic areas where where restrooms are not available and this will continue as more amenities open.
According to the State, visitors to outdoor community playgrounds must comply with the following requirements:
- Face masks over the mouth and nose are required for everyone 2 years of age or older with caregiver supervision at all times to ensure face mask use.
- Do not use the playground when different households are unable to maintain a physical distance of 6 feet or when the capacity limit has been reached.
- Caregivers must monitor to keep adults and children from different households at least 6 feet apart.
- Consider coming on different times or days to avoid wait times and potential crowded times.
- No eating or drinking in playground, to ensure face masks are worn at all times.
- Wash or sanitize hands before and after using the playground.
- Elderly and persons with underlying medical conditions should avoid playground when others are present.
- Limit visit to 30 min per day when others are present
Signage will be posted at City parks to remind people of these COVID-19 modifications.
Here are the other ways the amended health order is affecting YPCE operations:
- Event permits continue to be issued for certain outdoor activities and events that are specifically exempted or that receive a waiver from the County Department of Public Health. The County has published Guidance for a Safe Halloween and Guidance for Special Events and Gatherings.
- Youth sports activities are also permitted with restrictions. Under the current Red Tier status, no contact sports are allowed, and games and practices continue to be prohibited. Conditioning activities that can be conducted with proper social distance protocols are allowed. More information can be found in the Guidance for Youth Sports Conditioning.
- Community centers continue to be closed to the public and accessible only by registered program participants and staff. In-person programs such as Sac CLASS, Rec Express and Teen Scene are modified to ensure the safety of both staff and program participants.