The state has introduced a regional stay-at-home order across the nine-county region to delay the spread of COVID-19 and prevent the region’s hospitals from being overloaded due to the declining availability of hospital beds for patients who need intensive care in the Bay Area.

 At the beginning of December, before local hospitals were seriously affected, Contra Costa and five other Bay Area municipalities used local health directives to enforce all the features of the state order. The state order went into effect at 11:59 p.m. in the Bay Area, including Contra Costa. Thursday, the 17th of December, 2020. Contra Costa lifted its local order at that moment because it became redundant with the state’s. The regional stay-at-home order by the state lasts for a period of three weeks.

Status for Winter Classes, Programs and Events

While the fall programming schedule is changing to be drastically different from the previous year, Orinda Parks and Rec are also searching for ways to have updated programming that complies with the current Contra Costa County Health Orders (CCC) and is compatible with State and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations (CDC). As a consequence, the city is sad to announce that this year there will not be publishing a Winter / Spring Activity Guide. Please check the following list below for more information for those interested in the status of classes/programs that usually occurred during this period:

 Special Events

To be determined.

 In-person Youth Classes and Programs

Orinda Parks and Rec is offering a very limited number of offerings, all adhering to Contra Costa County health guidelines.

 In-person classes and programmes for adults

At this time, all in-person adult programming provided by the Department of Orinda Parks and Recreation is cancelled. They will convey the knowledge to the community once they are ready to start scheduling out-door, in-person adult services.

This amazing attraction is located near the following must-see parks in Orinda, California:

  • Orinda Oaks Park
  • Orinda Community Center Park & Tennis Courts
  • Briones Overlook staging area
  • Siesta Valley Recreation Area
  • Old San Pablo Trail 
  • Seaview Trailhead
  • Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve Labyrinth
  • Bear Creek Staging Area
  • Tilden Regional Park

All of these landmarks are located just a short distance from our location in downtown Walnut Creek, Spaulding Concrete on Locust Street!

City Facilities / What’s Open and What’s Closed?

It’s understandable that following what’s open and closed for public and private facilities can be frustrating. They have recently received questions from members of the community about the state of urban amenities and sports facilities here in Orinda. To find out more, please review the details below:

Parks

In order to promote physically distanced personal health and wellbeing by outdoor exercise, the State of CA approved re-opening playgrounds at the start of December. Orinda Parks and Recreation is asking the community for assistance in adhering to the following practices as they do not have adequate resources to implement them – Help Them Help You Play Healthy. Signage will be posted suggesting consumption rules intended to keep individuals protected from the spread of COVID-19. These contain the following rules:

  • Maintain a 6-foot physical distance between children and adults from various households, including children who are using or waiting to use playgrounds or play areas, and families who are waiting to reach the playground.
  • Parents/caregivers must track and keep at least 6 feet apart from adults and children from various households.
  • When others are around, elderly people and people with underlying medical conditions should avoid the playground.
  • To ensure face mask use, face masks over the mouth and nose are required for anyone 2 years of age or older, with caregiver supervision at all times.
  • Do not use the playground when a physical distance of 6 feet can not be maintained by various households.
  • To prevent waiting times and possible crowded times, consider arriving at various times or days.
  • Prior to and after using the playground, wash or sanitize your face.

Sports Fields

At present, all natural grass sports fields are open for families within the same household to use. The Wilder artificial turf fields (Fields 1, 2, and 4) are closed to the public at large. “As they have come under the “summer camp” category under the County Health Orders, the City has approved the use of sports fields, including artificial turf fields at Wilder, Summer Camp activities and certain youth sports organizations. Groups have been required to apply and follow comprehensive procedures that meet or exceed state and county standards in order to be approved. The fall months remain unknown right now. They foresee the possibility of making use for organizations that can have written policy and procedures that conform with current county health and CDC guidelines, unless the Health Order changes. These rules include the allowance of small, stable groups of 12 or fewer participants, player and coach health screenings, social distance criteria, PPE, and shared equipment, and more.

Tennis Courts

The tennis courts in the Orinda Community Center Park are currently open for drop-in play and reservations, and are available. The practice court is not being used at this time for any agency programming.