(BAKERSFIELD CALIFORNIAN) The city of Bakersfield will allow religious services, fitness classes and youth sports to temporarily take place in city parks under a new program similar to one that allows restaurants to expand dining onto sidewalks and parking lots due to COVID-19 restrictions on indoor seating.
A special use permit offered through the Recreation and Parks Department is available at no-cost but groups must show that they are insured, said the department’s director Dianne Hoover. An application is available online and takes five days to process.
Hoover said some groups had already started to use the parks for gatherings but it posed problems with maintenance schedules, such as when sprinklers turn on and lawns are mowed. Residents near smaller parks also complained about noise and crowded parking on streets.
