By Olga Bolotina, Chance Cutrano, and Norman La Force
Based on feedback we’ve received from our members and the local Bay Area community, the Sierra Club’s SF Bay Chapter has reached out to local officials to request that they consider providing designated "family access" hours at parks for families with kids during the COVID-19 pandemic.
We understand the rationale behind the parks becoming more restrictive, and absolutely agree that it is necessary to implement stringent rules of operation, enforcement of social distancing, and closure of playgrounds and other facilities where close physical contact is possible. Right now the health of our communities and park employees should be the primary concern. Our proposal seeks to ensure access to parkland while still prioritizing public health and safety.
We at the Sierra Club see this as an environmental justice issue. In many cases, kids are trapped inside in small quarters for weeks at a time. Many families in the Bay Area live in small houses or apartments with limited access to yards. While children are suffering from lack of exercise and fresh air, many parents are struggling to work from home, unable to balance high-energy children and work expectations. Others are dealing with the stress of being laid off and the uncertainty of their future.
Children need access to open play areas in order to thrive, and lack of access can have negative long-term impacts on both children and caregivers. The impacts are greatest on low- and middle-income families with young children, but are being felt by all families across the region.
Our local parks, trails and open spaces have always served as places where people can find respite and seek peace and restoration. This is especially true for the urban parks like Point Pinole and McLaughlin Eastshore State Park. During this time of uncertainty, these places are needed more than ever. We believe that many parks, trails and open spaces can be used in a safe manner that allows families to enjoy the mental and physical health benefits these spaces provide. As part of our advocacy for families here in the Bay Area, we are reaching out to cities and the East Bay Regional Park District to ask that they provide this access to families with young children. We'll update you here as we hear back.
Olga Bolotina is chapter chair and Chance Cutrano is chapter vice chair. Norman La Force is chair of the chapter's East Bay Public Lands Committee.
