SAN DIEGO, CA — San Diego County residents planning to take care of government business, visit a library or use certain recreation facilities will need to plan around Wednesday's Veterans Day holiday.
San Diego city and county offices will observe the holiday, with many public services and facilities closed for the day. The federal holiday also means banks will be closed and there will be no mail delivery.
Parks, emergency services and many other public amenities will remain available.
According to San Diego County officials, county public offices, family resource centers, libraries, public health centers and animal shelters will be closed Wednesday.
Law enforcement, emergency animal control response and other essential services will continue operating.
County parks, campgrounds and neighborhood day-use parks will remain open, while several recreation facilities will close. They include the Fallbrook Community Center, Lakeside Community Center and Teen Center, Spring Valley Community Center, Spring Valley Gymnasium and Teen Center, Valley Center Community Hall and Adams Park Pool.
San Diego's 4S Ranch Recreation Office will also close, though the closure applies to the office only.
Camping reservations will remain available online, but the county's parks and recreation reservation phone line will not be staffed Wednesday.
Wednesday is also an official holiday for the city of San Diego. City administrative offices will be closed, as will all San Diego Public Library locations. Library book drops will remain available unless otherwise noted.
The city's Development Services Department will be closed, although online services for applications, payments and inspection scheduling will remain available.
The San Diego Superior Court will close all courtrooms and business offices for the holiday.
Public safety services will continue operating, and residents should continue using 911 for emergencies.
The holiday will bring several opportunities to recognize military veterans throughout the region. The annual San Diego Veterans Day Parade is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday along Harbor Drive downtown, beginning in front of the County Administration Building.
This year's parade will commemorate the 35th anniversary of Operation Desert Storm and feature marching bands, historic military units, vintage vehicles and patriotic performers. The parade is part of Fleet Week San Diego, which runs through Nov. 15 and includes military displays, ship tours and other community activities.
Additional Veterans Day activities are planned throughout the region, with military appreciation events continuing into the weekend.
San Diego State has also scheduled a Military Appreciation Night at Snapdragon Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 14.
Holiday schedules can differ among the county, the city of San Diego and other cities within the county. School schedules, private businesses and waste collection services may also vary.
Veterans Day has its roots in a proclamation issued by President Woodrow Wilson in November 1919, a year after World War I ended, designating Nov. 11 as Armistice Day. States soon started declaring Nov. 11 a legal holiday. Congress made it a federal holiday in 1938, dedicated to the cause of world peace.
In 1954, following World War II and the Korean War, Congress, at the urging of veterans service organizations, passed a law renaming Armistice Day Veterans Day. From 1971-77, Veterans Day was held in late October. A 1975 law returned it to Nov. 11, beginning in 1978.
— City News Service
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