Parks, Recs and Community Services Ready To Restart Afterschool Programs, Youth Activities

Pasadena’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Services is preparing to resume in-person after-school programming and youth sports activities at the City’s parks, some of which are set to reopen early in September after almost six months of all non-essential City-sponsored play and sports activities being suspended because of COVID-19 restrictions.  

Parks and Recreation Director Brenda Harvey-Williams will report Tuesday, September 1, on the status of these parks and the opportunities for recreation that will be allowed soon when the City’s Recreation and Parks Commission meets in a virtual special meeting that begins at 6 p.m. 

A preliminary report by the Department showed some of the parks, specifically Jefferson Park, Victory Park and Villa-Parke, will reopen on Tuesday, September 8, for softball and other outdoor sports events, although limited to training, conditioning and skill-building only. Tournaments, events, scrimmages and games are not allowed, until further notice, the report said. 

Brookside, Brenner and McDonald parks will reopen on September 30 for softball and other outdoor sports. 

The reopening dates are in accordance with local guidance issued by the City’s Department of Public Health earlier in August, which applies to recreational sports leagues, club sports, travel sports, and sports sponsored by public and private schools serving students in grades TK-12.

In accordance with the guidance, the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department is now accepting applications for permits for local youth sports groups to use the City’s park sports fields. To obtain a permit, these groups will be asked to submit their specific reopening protocols following Public Health guidance. 

Most of the other parks will remain closed until at least December 14 for turf renovation and enhancement work. The first phase of the maintenance work started in the first week of August, and the second phase begins on October 1. 

Harvey-Williams will also report on a partnership between the After-School Adventures Program (ASAP) and Pasadena Unified School District’s after-school programming under LEARNS. The objective of the partnership is to provide all-day supervision for a limited number of PUSD elementary students on 12 school campuses in Pasadena. 

The program is expected to begin Tuesday, September 8, and run up to the completion of the fall academic term on October 16, the report said. All after-school programming will take place outdoors. 

Tuesday’s meeting of the Recreation and Parks Commission is accessible to the public. Go to https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83780136311 to watch the webinar, or call (669) 900-6833 and used the webinar ID 837 8013 6311. 

Comments may be sent to shouser@cityofpasadena.net before Tuesday. 

On the day of the meeting, public comments of up to 200 words may be sent through www.cityofpasadena.net/commissions/public-comment.