Bay Area Playgrounds to Remain Open After State Reverses Policy

After fierce backlash from scores of parents and some lawmakers, California has seesawed, so to speak, on its decision to close playgrounds as part of its strict new stay-at-home orders that apply to much of the state.

According to the revised guidelines, updated on Wednesday, playgrounds may remain open at limited capacity to "facilitate physically distanced personal health and wellness through outdoor exercise."

That's a reversal from guidelines issued last week mandating the closure of all indoor and outdoor playgrounds in the regions where the new restrictions took effect.

In response to the change, officials in the five Bay Area counties that are adhering to the order — Marin, San Francisco, Contra Costa, Alameda and Santa Clara — said playgrounds can reopen.

The stay-at-home directive, which Gov. Gavin Newsom announced last Thursday, includes sweeping restrictions on businesses and activities in sprawling regions across the state where the number of intensive care beds in hospitals is nearing capacity.

So far, more than 33 million California residents in the Bay Area, Southern California and San Joaquin Valley are now under the restrictions, and the remainder of the state is expected to follow suit.

Many of the restrictions have sparked anger among Californians, but perhaps none so much as the playground closures. Exasperated parents were quick to lambast the rule, questioning why their children's play areas should close while most retail stores and malls remain open.

In a letter sent to Newsom last week, Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez, D-San Diego, and 11 other lawmakers urged Newsom to keep playgrounds open, making the case that families in lower-income areas, who often have less access to open space, would be disproportionately impacted by the closures.

“While we must appropriately consider best practices to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, we also must ensure the children across the state are not unfairly deprived of their opportunities for outdoor access and play,” the letter said.

The state's reversal, while welcomed by most families, adds another layer of confusion, as it now remains up to local jurisdictions that just closed their playgrounds to decide whether to reopen them.

— Matthew Green (@mgreenkqed)