Lake Forest recreation facilities will remain closed through April, and all City events, activities and camps are cancelled through then as well, City officials announced Monday as health officials updated warnings about the spread of coronavirus.
City Hall and City Council meetings are unaffected by the closures and cancellations.
The health warnings leave Enties Skatepark of Lake Forest, the Lake Forest Clubhouse (Senior Center), and Community Center closed. Public shredding services have also been discontinued.
All City programs through April, including the South OC Pet Expo, Meet the Mayor/State of the City, and Bunny Blast events are also postponed and may be cancelled.
“The health and safety of our residents is always our top priority,” Mayor Neeki Moatazedi said Thursday. “Although we recognize our Senior Clubhouse and other facilities are important to many of our residents, the state Department of Public Health makes it clear that we must suspend operations.”
The California Department of Public Health on Thursday said cancelling or postponing public gatherings is necessary to protect public health and slow the rate of transmission of COVID-19. The advisory specified that gatherings of individuals who are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19 should be limited to no more than 10 people. The Centers for Disease Control has identified older adults as those at higher risk of contracting the virus.
The California Department of Public Health advisory issued Thursday says the events should be cancelled or postponed through the end of March. The state also advised all residents to minimize participating in non-essential gatherings and use “social distancing,” keeping 6 feet away from others.
“The timely implementation of aggressive strategies that create social distance and those that reduce close contact of people not regularly together, including limiting gatherings, has proven effective in prior pandemics at delaying rates of transmission and reducing illness and death,” the state says.
City officials are working closely with Orange County and state health officials to track developments on the Coronavirus. Mayor Moatazedi urged residents to follow the City’s social media and use the Lake Forest hotline at (949) 461-3536 for updates.
Jonathan Volzke
Senior Communications and Marketing Analyst
City of Lake Forest
