The City Council on Monday directed City Manager Steve Mermell to open the Rose Bowl loop and some nearby hiking trails.
“Staff has taken a look at these things,” said Brenda Harvey Williams, Director of Parks, Recreation and Community Services. “In terms of the loop and the trails where the activity is walking and jogging and cycling, with this transition into phase two, we feel this is a time where we can begin to open some of the park amenities.”
City spokesperson Lisa Derderian said the Loop could reopen this Wednesday, subject to conditions “that should be released later today after further discussions with staff and coordinating logistics.”
“I think it’s a long overdue for the loop to be reopened,” said Geoff Baum. “Pasadenans need to have access to healthy outdoor activities and the Rose Bowl loop is very important for every part of this community. [People need] to be able to exercise and get fresh air and sunshine.”
In an effort to guarantee social distancing, the loop will be closed to vehicular traffic and parking lot I will be open for parking. Parking will be limited to 90 minutes and strictly enforced.
Seco Street and Washington Boulevard will remain open for east/west traffic. Lot I will be staffed from 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., according to a city staff report.
Staff will monitor attendance at the loop and remind and encourage physical distancing when necessary.
Similar to the hiking trails, if at any time the volume of people prevents the ability to maintain physical distancing, the loop
will be closed.
“If the social distancing doesn’t work we will be back to ground zero again and will have to deal with that modification,” said Mayor Terry Tornek.
Visitors to the loop must:
• Practice and maintain a physical distance from other Loop users of at least six feet;
• All attendees over age of two must wear a face covering at parking lots and other high density points along the Loop;
• Not gather in groups – only allowed to be with members of your household;
• Communicate when passing others – alert Loop users of your presence and step aside to let others pass; and
• Pack out trash – use leave-no-trace principles to protect other Loop users and staff.
Rose Bowl staff will contact the peloton group that cycles at the Rose Bowl to remind them that due to physical distancing requirements, no organized activities will be allowed at the Loop. Proper signage and changeable message signs will be deployed at the Loop to remind all visitors of the required behaviors.
One month of operating the Loop in this manner has an estimated cost of $43,000-$65,000 which includes equipment rental, parking enforcement and contract staff.
Hikers must abide by similar conditions.
The loop was closed in late March after visitors to the popular exercise area repeatedly ignored calls to practice social distancing while congregating and exercising at the area.
Get our daily Pasadena newspaper in your email box. Free.
Get all the latest Pasadena news, more than 10 fresh stories daily, 7 days a week at 7 a.m.
2 thoughts on “Council Directs City Manager to Reopen Rose Bowl Loop”
A good idea to reopen the loop and try it out, and I think most everybody will follow the social distancing guidelines. But the quote from Tornek is typical Tornek – he’s now about other people social distancing, but wasn’t concerned about his own social distancing by not self-quarantining when he came back from Africa.
The problem is that NO ONE is going to follow social distancing! Watch! The people that use that loop never practiced social distancing even when it was mandated by the city and state. Even when it was supposed to be closed to foot traffic and bicyclists, a lot of people were still using it and a lot of them DID NOT wear masks. They think it’s a joke! It’s so infuriating that people can just take this virus so lightly when there is no cure!