The beach parking lot, bathrooms and the beach will be closed through April 19.
Hiking trails, parks and beaches will all be closed this weekend. Moreover, the L.A. Country Department of Public Health has ordered the closure of all public beaches, beach bike paths and beach access points through April 19 to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
“It is crucial that we limit access to non-essential places where crowds have been gathering,” said Barbara Ferrer, the department’s director. “I know how hard this is, and I know how isolated everyone feels, but we’re in this together.”
The City of Santa Monica sent out a notice that these closures also include Santa Monica Beach, Santa Monica’s Beach Bike Path and Ocean Front Walk.
The U.S. Forest Service on March 26 closed campgrounds, picnic areas and other developed recreation sites.
The Venice pier and Santa Monica piers are closed.
Nine California state parking lots in Los Angeles County–Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook; El Matador State Beach; Leo Carrillo State Park; Malibu Creek State Park; Malibu Lagoon State Beach; Point Dume State Beach; Robert H. Meyer Memorial State Beach; Topanga State Park; and Will Rogers State Historic Park–were closed on March 23 and remain closed.
The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority has closed its trails and facilities that include Temescal Gateway Park and Escondidio Canyon Park in Malibu.
The new closures have gone in place as coronavirus cases continue to climb in Los Angeles and California.
As of March 27, 1,465 cases (including 26 deaths) have been confirmed in Los Angeles County. Of the cases reported, 317 people have been hospitalized (21 percent of cases identified).
Brentwood shows 30 cases, Pacific Palisades has 10 cases and Santa Monica has 28. Among those showing 0 cases were Palisades Highlands, Little Tokyo, Little Armenia, Historic Filipinotown, Chinatown and Exposition.
According to the Public Health website, 22 people up to 17 years old have tested positive; in the 18- to 40-year-old category there have been 547; in the 41- to 65 group there have been 565; and over age 65 there have been 268 people.
The L.A. County Public Health advises: “If you are mildly sick, stay home for at least seven days or until 72 hours after being fever free, whichever is longer. Call your doctor if you are concerned and/or your symptoms worsen. Individuals who are elderly, have underlying health conditions or pregnant should consider contacting their providers earlier when they are sick.”
Playgrounds and parks are closed because of the coronavirus.
What are some things to do this weekend while maintaining social distancing?
- Enjoy your yard. Whoops – some people have newly constructed homes that go lot line to lot line and there is almost no yard.
- Go buy more toilet paper.
- Write letters to your local, county and state officials about: stopping the sale of vaping products over the internet; why there has been such a lack of urgency to announce results from the California primary (they may be released March 31); the way the City failed to handle homelessness and now wants to put people in recreation centers; the failure to give the Palisades Recreation Center its Quimby funds so that the playground and bathrooms can be updated and made handicapped accessible; money for our local roads to be repaved, many of which have not been done in decades . . .or a topic of your choosing.
- Get takeout from a local restaurant and if CTN has not featured that eatery yet, write and tell why it’s a great place.
- Do yoga with your dogs.
