While beaches and many parks have reopened with restrictions, many are still closed, along with respective parking. Government mandated closures are still excessive, misguided and lack authority. With the lockdown extending and COVID-19 likely being around for months if not years, we are not safer at home without the constitutional right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Exercising outdoors in a safe and responsible manner is central to our physical and mental health, as the fresh air and sunshine provide Vitamin D to help boost immunity and improve our spirits. By preventing citizens from using stairs, parks, pools and their respective parking areas (both lots and along PCH) in a safe manner, the government is solving one problem by creating another. A win-win solution is exercising with social distancing, including wearing masks when appropriate. With gyms closed, Governor Gavin Newsom recognizes that Californians should venture outside for some exercise, which is backed by county health departments. Rather than wasting resources on an unreasonable closure of stairs, pools and parks, fewer resources could be spent breaking up groups failing to social distance. Proposed rules and restrictions for parks and beaches are here:  https://bit.ly/CovidParkRules. There’s no better way to stay healthy than by exercising at our parks, on stairs, in pools and without the stress of looking for parking at beaches.

Indeed, while the Safe(r) at Home orders aims to keep people in their neighborhoods, many residents cannot do their normal neighborhood exercise because their local exercise spots are still closed, and parking is restricted. This undue burden especially impacts families with kids, lower-wage workers in small apartments with neighbors complaining of exercise noises, and people with chronic joint injuries. People required by their doctors to engage in low impact exercise on sand dunes, stairs or in the water have lost their safest options or cannot find reasonable parking to access. Healthcare workers and other essential laborers are putting their lives at risk to work but are still restricted from healthier exercise options. We should be allowed to ride on bike paths, access sand dunes, stair-climb, and swim in pools, while keeping 6 feet away from each other

This movement is sponsored by CORE, which was founded in 2010 as Citizens for Outdoor Recreation and Exercise. CORE spearhead an effort to reopen Sand Dune Park following a year-long closure, which successfully convinced the Manhattan Beach City Council to reopen Sand Dune Park. CORE now stands for Citizens for Outdoor Responsible Exercise. Currently, even Sand Dune Park is closed, even though it is easy to maintain social distance with only 20 people allowed on the large dune at a time.