The City of Irvine, following evolving State and County guidance, will begin to reopen City athletic fields for modified use, and offer day camps in community centers. The modification follows approval from the County of Orange for the City to establish reopening dates and guidelines for athletic field use, picnic areas, and day camps.
“Families in our community have followed guidelines for limited park use to this point, allowing us to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our community,” said Mayor Christina L. Shea. “That effort has been rewarded with State and County approval to provide expanded recreational opportunities in Irvine.”
The California Department of Public Health has released industry guidance for a number of industries, including Day Camps, Fitness Centers, and Outdoor Recreation. The Orange County Health Officer approved implementation of these documents, allowing the City to begin modified summer camps and allow some expanded recreation opportunities on athletic fields. The guidance documents include requirements for physical distancing, visitor health screening, sanitization, and occupancy limitations, which the City will follow during implementation. The City will also implement the latest Statewide guidance requiring face coverings in public spaces. The following modifications for facilities and amenities have been scheduled:
Athletic Fields: In keeping with State guidance for outdoor recreation, City athletic fields will reopen on Friday, June 19 for drop-in use by individuals, groups and families with social distancing precautions, and for practices and sports camps by reservation on Monday, June 22. City athletics staff have been in contact with local sports organizations to arrange for their reserved practice times. Parents seeking information about youth sports practices should contact their team organizer for more information, or visit cityofirvine.org/youthsports for a list of organizations. For more information on athletic fields, visit cityofirvine.org/fields.
Community Centers: Guidance provided for day camps permits the City to operate summer programs in keeping with State and local safety guidelines. Community centers will be open for scheduled summer programs and camps only – no drop-in use or private reservations will be permitted. The City has scheduled indoor recreation and outdoor sports camps to begin June 22, with additional camps being added weekly. Registration is required in advance, and additional information is available at cityofirvine.org/camps.
Tennis: In addition to opening tennis courts for drop-in use, the City is offering private lessons, small group instruction, and the Brymer Lewis Tennis Academy program in accordance with State guidance. Registration is required in advance, and upcoming programs are listed at yourirvine.org, under the Tennis tab.
Picnic Areas: Smaller picnic areas intended for use by a single household unit are open within City parks. Drop-in use is limited to members of the same household, or individuals maintaining 6 feet of physical distance. No reservations are available at this time. For a list of park amenities including picnic areas, visit cityofirvine.org/parks.
The City announced additional reopening of amenities last week based on State guidelines, including gallery spaces and the Farm + Food Lab at the Orange County Great Park, use of aquatic centers for lap swim and modified programs, and use of stadiums for professional sports without spectators. As the County and State continue to provide guidance on evolving health and safety procedures, the City of Irvine will provide updates at cityofirvine.org. Industry guidance documents provided by the California Department of Public Health can be found at covid19.ca.gov.