Mill Valley police shut down the city skate park this week after neighbors reported groups of children and teenagers skating during the county “shelter in place” order, city officials said.
The front entrance of the park was sealed off with barricades and signs Thursday. Alan Piombo, the interim city manager, said there were no kids at the time police closed the park and no citations were issued.
“We returned at 3:30 p.m. and asked two adults to leave the facility,” he said. “We have been making frequent patrols and encountering kids who continue to use the park. They are directed to leave each time.”
Despite the desire to allow teens independence, these are not common times and the goal is to reduce the frequency of communal contact to slow the spread of the virus, Piombo said.
“Everyone must stay home except to get food, care for a relative or friend, get necessary health care or go to an essential job,” Piombo wrote in an email blast. “It is OK to go outside for walks or other exercise if you are not in a group and following social distancing guidelines.”
The group of skaters was first reported online on NextDoor early this week, said Mayor Jim Wickham. There were hundreds of comments and posts about how parents should keep their kids away from large groups or risk spreading the virus.
“We closed it down to educate kids and remind them that we are in this for the long haul,” Wickham said. “We wanted to make sure they understand social distancing rules and that they can’t be going out in the community then go home to grandpa and grandma or mom and dad because they can pass on the virus as carriers.”
Councilman John McCauley posted on NextDoor as a concerned citizen on Monday night. He said kids will be kids, but parents must make sure their children are practicing social distancing or risk spreading the virus.
“Please keep your kids away from others or they will bring the virus home to you and your parents,” McCauley wrote. “We will not ‘flatten the curve’ and the pain of sheltering in place will not pay off. Every day counts. Please help keep our kids and broader community safe.”
Elsewhere in Marin, the McInnis skate park in San Rafael is closed, said Brent Ainsworth, a county spokesman.
Hamilton Skate Park was padlocked and not open to the public, said Jim Correa, Novato police deputy chief. But the park has not updated its hotline recording and says it is open from 10 a.m. to sunset.
The Mill Valley skate park was closed on the same day that authorities ordered players off the Peacock Gap Golf Course. Wickham said there is general confusion around what constitutes outdoor activity and what doesn’t.
“We are having conference calls and meetings about it to try to balance the needs of the community and safety,” he said. “The order itself has a lot of exemptions, it’s mostly common sense stuff but people get excited and want to get out and exercise. They just can’t do it in large groups.”