FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 7, 2020
LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation (LA County Parks) will close all botanic gardens, lakes, and local, community and regional parks to the public on Sunday, April 12, in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19. An anticipated influx of visitors to parks on the Easter holiday would make it impossible for the public to adhere to the County’s “Safer at Home” Order which requires six feet of physical distance and prohibits group gatherings.
“With the top priority being the health and safety of our park guests, team members, and community, we made the difficult decision close all LA County Parks location,” said Norma E. García, Acting Director of LA County Parks. “We know Easter is day of celebration for many park guests and fun tradition for LA County Parks, and we appreciate the public’s support and understanding as we collectively work to flatten the curve of the coronavirus.”
LA County Parks continues to assess daily operations and implement precautionary measures in response to COVID-19, working closely with County leaders and the Department of Public Health. Currently, play and sports amenities, indoor facilities, nature centers, golf courses, sports and recreation programs, and multi-use trails are closed to the public. Local and regional parks remain open, with the except of April 12, as outdoor-only facilities with social distancing required and group gatherings of any size prohibited.
“Parks are a haven and vital to the health and joy of our communities, especially during this challenging time,” added García. “We hope these extraordinary efforts will help with the County and global effort to stop the spread of COVID-19.”
For more information on closures and changes in response to COVID-19, visit the LA County Parks website at https://parks.lacounty.gov/covid-19.
About LA County Parks and Recreation
The Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation manages 183 parks and operates a network of 9 regional parks, 38 neighborhood parks, 20 community parks, 15 wildlife sanctuaries, 8 nature centers, 41 public swimming pools, more than 200 miles of multi-use trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding, and the largest municipal golf system in the nation, consisting of 20 golf courses. The department also maintains four botanical centers: The Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, the South Coast Botanic Garden, Descanso Gardens, and Virginia Robinson Gardens. The department also owns and operates the iconic Hollywood Bowl and John Anson Ford Amphitheatre which are jointly managed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, providing County residents with valuable entertainment and cultural resources.
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MEDIA CONTACTS
Dora Nuñez
(213) 216-1661
dhnunez@parks.lacounty.gov
Katie Martel
(213) 304-9863
kmartel@parks.lacounty.gov
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MORE INFORMATION ON COVID-19