West Hollywood’s City Manager and Director of Emergency Services, Paul Arevalo, issued a new Emergency Executive Order on Tuesday, September 8, 2020, Implementing Emergency Measures to Order Reopening of City Parks. Emergency Executive Order 2020-12 establishes the re-opening of WeHo Park and Plummer Park to public visitors as follows:
- Park recreation spaces are available for public use by optional reservation. Reservations are available at Plummer Park in the Vista Lawn and Fuller Lawn areas and at WeHo Park in the Great Lawn area. Reservations must be made at least 24 hours in advance. Numbered spaces will be outlined in the grass and City staff will be available to assist users’ with finding their spaces. Individuals can book a space for a two-hour block between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. There is no cost to reserve a park space. Park visitors at all City of West Hollywood parks are subject to compliance with park guidelines (listed below). Reservations may be made by visiting the West Hollywood Recreation Park and Facility Reservation system online, Active Net, at https://apm.
activecommunities.com/weho. Those wishing to make a reservation must have an Active Net account, which can be easily created at the above link. Individuals will receive a confirmation email when their reservation is approved. For all other City of West Hollywood Recreation programs, please visit www.weho.org/recreation. - Visitors at Plummer Park and WeHo Park may also use non-reserved park areas without a reservation for passive recreation on a drop-in basis. Use of all City parks, whether by reservation or on a drop-in basis, is subject to compliance with park guidelines (listed below) are subject to any other applicable city, county or state requirements.
- Park guidelines are based on the City’s Emergency Executive Order 2020-7 and updated accordingly, along with any other applicable city, county or state requirements:
- Physical distancing of six feet between groups that are not part of the same household is required. Avoid crowded areas.
- Organized activities and group fitness classes, yoga instruction, dog training and personal training sessions are not permitted in any city park, including neighborhood parks.
- Face coverings are required under Executive Order 2020-3.
- Water fountains shall remain closed. Members of the public are encouraged to bring water from home.
- Bathrooms remain closed.
- Visitors shall leave the area clean and remove all personal items and trash before leaving park.
- Playground and exercise equipment remain closed.
The City of West Hollywood requires face coverings at all times while in public and social distancing rules of at least six feet should continue to be followed, even when outdoors.
Photo by Paulo Murillo for WEHO TIMESThe City aims to safeguard the health and safety of community members. WeHo Park and Plummer Park had been previously closed on July 23, 2020 following numerous reports by City staff and the West Hollywood Station of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department that visitors to these City parks were observed not complying with park rules adopted to curb the spread of COVID-19. At the time of the park closures, approximately 50 percent of park users failed to comply with the City’s face covering requirements and social (physical) distancing protocols and altered and/or destroyed protective barriers intended to keep playgrounds and basketball courts closed. In August 2020, West Hollywood and Plummer Parks implemented a limited by-reservation-only reopening and no drop-in use was allowed.
At this time, neighborhood parks and dog parks at West Hollywood Park and William S. Hart Dog Park remain open, subject to park users’ compliance with face covering and social distancing requirements. Park patrons are subject to Administrative Citation for not voluntarily using face coverings. Balls, toys, and any other shared equipment are not permitted in the dog parks and water stations remain shut off. Additionally, tennis courts at West Hollywood Park and Plummer Park remain open at this time. As with dog parks, City staff and Sheriff’s personnel will closely monitor adherence to requirements. Tennis players not adhering to health and safety protocols are subject to Administrative Citation as well as a one-year suspension of iTennis membership and court reservation privileges.
The City of West Hollywood has had a mandatory face covering requirement in effect since Saturday, May 23, 2020. Full text of Emergency Executive Order 2020-3 requiring face coverings is available on the City’s website (PDF) at www.weho.org/home/showdocument?id=46373. The State of California and County of Los Angeles have also directed the use of face coverings in public.
