Health & Fitness
Exercise In Your Own Neighborhood, Local Park Officials Say
Officials want residents to stay local and avoid trips to remote parks and beaches amid the coronavirus shelter-in-place order.
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CA — Santa Cruz County residents are asked to exercise in their neighborhoods and at local parks instead of venturing out to remote parks and beaches amid the new coronavirus pandemic.
As warmer weather returns, many parks and beaches have seen visitation surges that prevent people from maintaining six feet between one another and practicing social distancing, said state, county, Santa Cruz, Watsonville, Capitola and Scotts Valley parks officials in a statement released Friday. State and county shelter-in-place orders call for people to stay close to home.
Visitors will be asked to leave parks if too many people have gathered in one spot, parks officials say.
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"Under the orders, only essential travel is permitted, and there is no essential reason to cross county lines for recreation or exercise," parks officials said in the statement.
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Officials say it is especially important now to maintain social distancing. Beach and beach access parking lots are closed, and gathering in groups is not permissible.
Anyone who violates the shelter-in-place order is subject to a fail of up to $1,000 and/or jail time, under the law.
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