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Palo Alto’s basketball, pickleball and tennis courts reopened Wednesday after a monthlong hiatus, as did parking lots near the city’s nature preserves.
City Manager Ed Shikada announced the plan Monday night, one of several signs that the pandemic freeze that began in March is starting to slowly thaw. The city also planned to resume construction work this week on the California Avenue garage and the new bike bridge over the U.S. Highway 101 — projects that were briefly suspended. The city’s building inspectors also have resumed making appointments with local property owners to visit construction projects, Shikada said.
The city’s moves follow the recent easing of restriction on the county and state levels. Santa Clara County last week modified its own health order, allowing outdoor recreation facilities to reopen and letting construction projects, landscaping services and real estate showings resume. And on Monday afternoon, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said that he planned to issue guidelines on Thursday that would allow bookstores, clothing stores and other businesses that can accommodate curbside pickup to reopen as early as this Friday, subject to county approval.
Palo Alto’s decision to reopen parking lots next to two major nature preserves — the Baylands and Foothills Park — responds to both the county’s guidance and a local outcry over the closure, which was implemented on March 27. Critics have maintained over the past month that it is foolish to limit access to vast nature preserves where keeping a physical distance is relatively easy. Others argued that keeping these preserves open but closing off parking lots limits entrance to only the fittest residents.
Michael Zent called the closures of the parking lots near the open space areas “absolutely ridiculous.” Arastradero Preserve, where parking lots remain closed, makes it possible to stay 50 feet away from other people, he wrote to the council Saturday, May 2.
“People need to get out in nature and the arbitrary closure of this park is totally and completely unnecessary! What happened to common sense?” Zent wrote.
Shikada and Mayor Adrian Fine both indicated Friday, May 1, during their streamed “Table Talk” program that the parking lots near the nature areas will be open only on weekdays. Shikada also said that the city will take measures to ensure social distancing.
“We want to make sure we’re providing an environment in which users can have that maintained, including one-way trails,” Shikada said.
Palo Alto is also considering reopening the Baylands Golf Links, though the recently renovated course may be open only to solitary golfers pulling their own handcarts, said Kristen O’Kane, director of the Community Services Department. She said her department is trying to determine whether, given these social-distance restrictions, the course would be financially viable.
In addition to athletic courts, the city reopened its playing fields, track, and skate park this week. In all cases, users will be required to comply with social distancing rules. For all “ball” sports, this means only playing with members of your specific households.
In addition to reopening shuttered facilities, Palo Alto also plans to advance later this week its plan to divert cars from three existing bike boulevards. Chief Transportation Official Philip Kamhi said Monday that the program would be limited to Bryant Street, Ross Road and Park Boulevard. Drivers wouldn’t be banned so much as discouraged from taking these streets with signage.
“We’re hoping it will end up lowering the volume and speed on those streets and they won’t be used for cut-through,” Kamhi said.
The city chose these streets because they’re already part of the bike network and, as such, have relatively low car volumes. The approach is modeled after similar efforts in Minneapolis, Minnesota; Denver, Colorado; and Oakland, which restricted cars at 74 miles of bike boulevards as part of its “slow streets” initiative.
Kamhi said the city will not be preventing deliveries on these streets, keeping residents or visitors from driving on the roadways or issuing citations to drivers.
“It’s really to discourage nonlocal traffic,” Kamhi said.
Editor’s note: The story has been updated to reflect the fact that the city is still banning vehicle access for visitors to the Arastradero Preserve.
Find comprehensive coverage on the Midpeninsula’s response to the new coronavirus by Palo Alto Online, the Mountain View Voice and the Almanac here.
A return, to our real normal. Hopefully the pools will open for summer, and gyms open for indoor exercise. I could use a haircut, as well!!
Does that mean they will be open over the coming weekend? Or just weekdays?
Will the tunnel be closing again? I hope not.
It’s about time. The politicians need to shift their mindset from banning all but essential activities to allowing all activities that are EITHER essential or safe.
All the data shows that there is virtually no chance to transmit Corona if you are outside and seperated. It’s easy to maintain much more than six foot social distancing at our parks and beaches.
Oh and chlorine kills it instantly. Open adult swimming pools too, just keep the locker rooms closed.
Outside will still be harder for kids for a while. No playgrounds or basketball for a bit longer….
All of the trails at the Arastradero Preserve start at the same (often overcrowded) parking lot. Claiming that people can easily stay 50 feet apart is ludicrous.
Fantastic! WHEN?
Hey @Arastradero,
There are at least 5 entrances to the Arastradero Preserve that I have used. Main parking lot, access from Old Arastradero, Palo Alto University lot, Zotts parking lot, and road from Foothills Park.
The only place I can think of that you might regularly get within 50 feet of another person is at the bathrooms in the main parking lot, and when you pass someone on the trail. 99% of the time I am there, I probably average 500 feet or more away from another person during my visit.
It’s hard to watch two super expensive employees, Mr. Shikada and Ms. Kane (about ~$400k and $300k), ignore the elephant in the room.
Massive service cuts to community programs are clearly on the horizon. They will change Palo Alto, especially for seniors and parents.
Why are we not talking about that in the open, and soliciting public input about how that happens? It feels very wrong to me. City Hall is dissembling and distracting, I feel.
Instead, we are talking about pushing forward with a massively overpriced bike bridge. We are talking about a parking decision around open-spaces, like that was hard in the first place. Remember this when they cut things that make Palo Alto great.
Time to reopen businesses.
Time to reopen the pools.
Eight weeks of stay-at-home, shutdowns, and nothing has changed!
Ineffective leadership all over, displaying lack of commonsense.
Eight weeks later, status quo:
1. No widespread availability of COVID19 testing
2. Not enough N95 masks for public who are asked to endanger themselves
by homemade masks (Not enough to know how to make them, you
must also clean them, and maintain them. N95: 95% filter capability,
cloth would collect those wet particles, carriers.)
3. Not enough PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) for hospital workers
4. Not enough toilet paper (not sure why but…)
5. Steady misinformation, frustrating people
Contact tracing “app” is just a high-tech way of stay-at-home order.
It is useless without availability of rapid, *reliable*, COVID19 test.
Stay-at-home effectively was an assumption that we all were “contact
traced” but no way to actually get tested.
While extending stay-at-home orders in this manner wouldn’t
further any purpose as long as elected leaders at State and Federal
level think daily news conferences with misleading information and
throwing money at the problem is all they need to do.
Contact tracing smart “app” does NOT improve health safety, maybe only
for those who trust “smart” apps more than their commonsense by
quarantining them. If we stay at home when we are sick, if we can
get tested for COVID19 with primary care physician when in doubt,
and take the necessary good hygienic practices such as washing
hands, etc. there would be no need to give up privacy to contact
tracing app – giving up privacy and being tracked is NOT reversible!
>> Palo Alto also plans to advance later this week its plan
>> to divert cars from three existing bike boulevards
While you are at it, please divert bikes from Alma and other dangerous
roadways to nearby bike boulevards for their own safety.
Will the chlorine added to the swimming pools + one’s exposure to direct sunlight while relaxing poolside lend any credence to POTUS45’s medical advisements?
Also, should one bathe or shower before entering a pool that is also being used by others?
Posted by Dan, a resident of Professorville
>> It’s easy to maintain much more than six foot social distancing at our parks and beaches.
Except at/in restrooms.
>> Oh and chlorine kills it instantly. Open adult swimming pools too, just keep the locker rooms closed.
Yes, but. Restrooms/locker rooms are the nexus. The State Parks realized that on that first big weekend.
14 days of declining cases in California – wow.
Yes, swallow all the pool water you can, and meet the president’s disinfectant guidelines!
@ineffective leadership, absent commonsense
You wrote concern for “Steady misinformation, frustrating people” yet that’s what you were doing.
Eight weeks later, status quo:
1. No widespread availability of COVID19 testing
-Testing has expanded.
2. Not enough N95 masks for public who are asked to endanger themselves
by homemade masks.
-Not true, see Taiwan, Flushing Queens NY, or the many other places that show the simple barriers reduce how far respiratory illnesses can spread.
4. Not enough toilet paper (not sure why but…)
-Increase volume buying of home product (hoarding), and reduced use of commercial paper products (which are hard to switch over to consumer specs, different sizing and textures, etc)
5. Useless without availability of rapid, *reliable*, COVID19 test.
-Current testing is reliable and fast. It’s antibody testing that is neither fast or reliable yet.
Wait – aren’t we listening to the president’s guidelines?
14 days of declining cases?
@14 days of declining cases
If you look at Santa Clara County’s dashboard, it appears we do have more than 14 days of declining confirmed cases – despite the daily number of tests administered growing by about 100%.
https://www.sccgov.org/sites/covid19/Pages/dashboard.aspx
Thank you for opening up the Pickleball courts! Many Palo Alto seniors are celebrating today because they get their ony exercise by playing pickleball. It will be awhile before we can play with anyone who isn’t a member of one’s household but this is a good start. Thank you to City Manager, Ed Shikada, and all Palo Alto City Officials who supported the construction of the new pickleball courts. We’ll all look forward to the day when restrictions will be unnecessary and the wonderful pickleball camaraderie can resume. Thank you!
As a retiree from 31 years with PacBell, Pickleball is my primary vehicle for exerecise. Access to these fantastic courts is a foundational part of my mental and physical well-being. Big thanks for your willingness to appreciate what this sport has opened up to people like us! Tennis?? Love it but the knees can’t handle it! Pickleball: no problem.
>> You wrote concern for “Steady misinformation, frustrating people”
>> yet that’s what you were doing.
With a little commonsense it should be clear that you, not me,
are spreading misinformation but I will illustrate it below just in case.
>>>> 1. No widespread availability of COVID19 testing
>>-Testing has expanded.
A little commonsense should make it clear that “has expanded” is not
the same as “no widespread availability” of COVID19 testing.
Chalk that for misinformation #1.
>>>>2. Not enough N95 masks for public who are asked to endanger themselves
by homemade masks.
>> -Not true, see Taiwan, Flushing Queens NY (…rest deleted…)
N95 is a certification. Cloth, bandanas are not N95 certified. Your
baseless assertion “Not true” is misinformation #2.
>>>> 5. Useless without availability of rapid, *reliable*, COVID19 test.
>> -Current testing is reliable and fast. (..deleted rest…)
The PCR test is reliable but not fast. Other RT tests are under
“Emergency Use Authorization”, important part usually omitted,
and are not yet proven, only used in limited settings, and requires
another real PCR test to confirm results.
But there’s a lot of spin out there as if the tests are rapid,
reliable and widely available, ignoring fineprints – misinformation#3.
A call to your primary care physician will clarify whether you
can get a COVID19 test, how often you can get tested. That’s my
reliable source of information.
(I am as enmthusiastic about drive-thru COVID19 test as I would be
for a drive-thru proctology exam.)
Bottom line: eight weeks later we are not ready! If the metric is
“better than yesterday” then we should have opened 7 weeks ago!
All the sacrifices kids made, giving up outdoors, sports, school,
college, stay-at-home would go waste if “improving” or “getting better”
was the metric instead of getting everything ready in place.
And, all of the heightened awareness could create flu vaccine shortage
this season, due to the same inept leadership.
Thank you for the wonderful Pickleball courts in Palo Alto. I can’t wait until we all will be able to play again. Meanwhile I will only play with my husband and keep the correct distance away from others.
Pickleball is for the entire family, young and old. It teaches sportsmanship, patience and a good attitude. Our youngest is 5 and he loves pickleball, grandpa is 82 and he loves it too…expect when he gets beaten 3 in a row by the little guy.
Yay pickleball is coming back. Perfect sport for seniors, exercise and socialize. Well for now just the exercise part!
Pickleball is a great game with a silly name. I’m glad it is available again, hoping that those who hit the courts will exercise due caution. As my high school Latin teacher would say, “Festina lente — make haste, slowly!”
I love pickleball and very much appreciate the new courts.
Pickleball is currently only allowed by family members because players touch the ball.
Why can’t we require masks and gloves for non family members playing together.
Thank you to the city and the staff that reopened the recreation areas – especially pickleball. Our family of 4 can now go outside and play together. Thank you very much!
This is great news! Last Sunday Aratradero and Page Mill were a mess with people parking in every available space on the side of the road and riding their bikes up the middle of the road. Seems safer to have the parking lots open.
It’s also wonderful to have the courts open again to have another option for exercise. It should be easy to play safely in these outdoor venues.
Pickleball in particular is a wonderful sport that has made a huge impact to many people’s physical and mental well-being. Great to have it back.
The Pickle Ball courts at Mitchell Park are a treasure to PA and the greater community. Much appreciation to the City of PA for building the courts and creating a safe environment to play and socialize. Agree with John H that non-household members could play safely if all parties are wearing masks, gloves and each individual serves with their own ball.
Given the budget cuts that we will face I am wondering why we are resuming a very expensive bridge over 101 when people can just use the walk on San Antonio Road. As for discouraging traffic on the three existing dedicated bike streets my guess is that there already is very little through or non resident traffic given the barriers on two of them and the stupid protrusions and dangerous traffic circles on Ross. I’d like to see more visible police enforcement of speeding and running stop signs for cars AND bikes. I wonder how many cars or bike riders are getting tickets and why we have such lax enforcement.?
Thank you to the city, the staff & and everyone who are all coordinated to get the recreation park & the courts(new ones & the converted ones) for pickleball reopened. Thank you very much to everyone!
Many many thanks to the City of Palo Alto for responding so positively and generously to the Pickleball Community with the gorgeous new and increased courts. They mean the world to a large group of mature and very active community members and also an increasingly a large group of younger people and children who participate. This certainly contributes enormously to the health and well being of our very special community.
I am so glad to see pickleball at Mitchell Park and excited to see when it reopens for small groups using social distancing guidelines.
Thanks for Pickleball
I see the pickleball community all got their emails.
Much more excited about being able to drive and hike in Foothills Park. Getting some peace and nature into our souls while exercising in the open air will be a boost to many of us.
I love the new Pickleball courts by Mitchell Park library. I’ve met the nicest people that comprise the Pickleball community. A special shout-out to my hero – Monica!
If the city cuts services without cutting salaries, there WILL be lawsuits to defend
Thanks to everyone who helped open up the pickleball courts. It keeps us fit, healthy, and sane — three qualities we need now more than ever. It’s up to us now to make sure we conform to physical distancing guidelines while playing.
As much as I want to play, I hope the city/county/state/whoever keeps a close eye on things: If it turns out that resumed playing causes the virus to spread, the courts need to be shut down again. Hopefully, however, pickleball won’t cause the virus to spread, and we’ll have the reassurance we need to know that we can play safely.
Thanks for allowing our pickleball community the chance to show diligence in infection control as we live the lives we hope to preserve.
Great news that things are opening up. My particular fave so far is the open space parking lots.
Now how about the libraries? They had a great “take-out” system for a few days before the complete shutdown. Seems like there should be a way to allow checking out via holds and pickup, and returns with some days of quarantining. That’s something else that we an bring partway back to normal.
My husband used to walk on the High School track at Paly (which is rubber surfaced) because of his bad knees. It’s been closed since the lockdown started. Does anyone know if it is covered by this most recent opening by the city? Or is it controlled separately by the school district?
So many comments for pickle ball. That’s great but tennis courts are getting full again, and it was a shame to see tennis courts cannibalized for pickle ball.
When do the parking lots to the the local parks open up? I read they will be available M – F so not on weekends. But I don’t see a start date.
Anyone know?
I am a member of PAPC and am so glad that when I visit my family in Menlo Park I have a welcoming place in Palo Alto to play pickleball. The game has been a valuable addition to my retired life, and I can’t imagine where I would be with out it.
Yeah!!!! This will certainly help with our psyches and getting us adjusted to a new normal.
Being outdoors whether the parks or our lovely new pickelball courts is wonderful (the new permanent ones were only a few months old).
To the lucky same household PB players ~ Please have FUN and EXTRA FUN for me as I’m on the waitlist for now.
Wow, to say the tennis courts have been on a month long hiatus is totally inaccurate & BS. I run through Mitchell Park almost every day and for the first several weeks of the lockdown and just until a couple weeks ago there were almost always people playing tennis there. The city posted clear signs that the courts were closed and people still played. The city locked the main entrance gate and people still played. The city then realized there was a side gate by a power box that people were still coming in through so that gate was locked, people still played. The city rolled up the nets, people unrolled the nets and still played. Can’t say I am impressed by the tennis community for trying so hard to defy the shelter in place order.
Also…
“Shikada also said that the city will take measures to ensure social distancing.”
I would love to hear the city’s plan on this. From my long time in Palo Alto my experience is that the city is capable of enforcing/ensuring very little. They either don’t know how or just choose not to enforce so many things: traffic laws, thefts from cars, package delivery theft, leaf blower ordinance, idling ordinance, 72 hour parking limit for RVs, much of the previous shelter in place requirements. So Ed Shikada, please, please let us know your great plan for the city to suddenly become effective at enforcing social distancing requirements.
I miss pickleball. It is a very fun, friendly way to gently exercise balance and coordination for this geriatric person.
Truly appreciated the Great City of Palo Alto for building the wonderful pickleball courts and reopening them now. Hopefully returning to the games soon!
Remembering Dylan’s song:
“how many deaths will it take ’til he knows
That too many people have died?”
Wow! Pickleball is apparently a big deal. I never even heard of it before this article. This is not a snark. I’m happy people who enjoy it will have the opportunity again.
Thank you Palo Alto and all staff at the city for opening up the pickleball courts! My family and I played yesterday and really enjoyed the exercise and fresh air! ❤️
Happy to see Pickleball come back. Looking forward to playing with my family.
Two things I have missed most being in quarantine Pickleball and massages. Was so glad to see the pickle ball courts open up and think that it will be a great boom for mental health and physical activity for those of us whose age and disabilities limit the sports we can play. I am all for responsible opening up of community parks and beaches and the like and hope people use them responsibly and respect others space. Former health care worker , educator and first responder who finally found a sport and an amazing group of people at the pickle ball courts of Palo Alto at Mitchell park.
How insecure do you have to be to do this sort of thing?
It’s good you like your pickleball. Time to log off and go enjoy it.
Bummer, Foothills Park has been really nice with hardly anyone around. But I do realize it’s for everyone, even those who can’t bike or run up there. After all this is over, I will have fond memories of these spring days in the park almost all to myself.
Comming every weekend all the way from Morgan Hill to join wonderful pickleball Palo Alto community for fun and exercise. Thank you for accepting people from other Bay Area cities.
Thank you again for for making our Pickleball dream come alive at Mitchell Park. We love the new courts and appreciate all Palo Alto has and continues to do for this fast growing sport that we all love.
I can see that TDS is still strong with some of you. Why not just be happy that things are opening up again ?
Mitchell Park is opening!!
So happy that we are going to have PICKLEBALL back in our lives again!!
We have missed our friends!!!
Thank you!!!
Thank you to the City of Palo Alto for opening up the tennis courts and the pickleball courts. I just brought my kids over to the courts this morning to have some family fun and exercise. We will definitely be returning to the courts to continue to get our fun, exercise, and improve our hand eye coordination.
Thank you City of Palo Alto for opening the pickleball courts and Foothills Park. I appreciate both very much. The courts and the park are both great and the weather is wonderful.
I wish I could use both, but PB is restricted to members of the same household and Foothills Park is not open to cars on the weekend even now.
Thank you City of Palo Alto for opening the pickleball courts and Foothills Park. I appreciate both very much. The courts and the park are both great and the weather is wonderful.
These facilities are fantastic. But sadly, PB is restricted to members of the same household only and Foothills Park is not open to cars on the weekend even now with Mother’s Day on Sunday, when walk-ins or bike-ins only are allowed.
“In addition to reopening shuttered facilities, Palo Alto also plans to advance later this week its plan to divert cars from three existing bike boulevards.”
Did the City Council make this decision? How did they vote?
There has never been less traffic on City streets. What is the problem they are trying to solve? This is just the next step in making these permanent bike boulevards without cars.
Where do the cars go? They will move to your street. Recognize this action for what it is. More misguided traffic planning by the “visionaries” at City Hall.
I’m one of many Palo Altans who is excited about playing Pickleball again, For now, I’ll play with my son, but it would be great if the city would allow unrelated people to play by asking each player to serve with their own ball (using different colored balls). With that restriction we could still follow social distancing guidlines.
I’m excited to be going outdoors, but just a cautious reminder to wash your hands often and stay home if you feel sick!
Thank you for the opportunity to get back to playing pickle ball. I have been sheltering in place since mid-February due to having the flu and then the general shelter in place rules kicked in. My spouse and I can’t wait to play tomorrow and we are so grateful for the open mindedness of the powers that be to allow us to play and we will gladly abide by the rules. We are both disaster service workers and my spouse is a critical care physician in PA. So, you know we REALLY will appreciate playing and just having fun!
I’m a one-year member of the PA pickleball club, which meets at Mitchell Park. Pickleball is unique in that it is inclusive regardless of age or gender. It’s also small scale, encouraging conversation and fostering friendships. Thanks to Palo Alto for supporting this sport locally, and providing an example to surrounding communities to providing socially inclusive activities to people of all ages and abilities. Despite being a 45-year racquetball player, during the virus SIP requirements, it’s pickleball that I miss the most. What I thought were only casual friendships had become vital to me. Thanks to Palo Alto and your parks and rec department in supporting this sport. To the mayor and town council I say: come out and join us when we can play again! Everyone is welcome, and you’ll never be happier!
Would love for the library to be open again, if only for curbside pickup. Our family is really missing it!
I am an avid Bay Area golfer and have been patiently waiting for golf to reemerge during the pandemic…. I understand that these are unprecedented times and require unique solutions to mitigate risk to the community…. I am happy to say that most regional golf courses opened this week, with just a few exceptions… there seems to be a widely accepted approach being used across the nation in regards to golf protocol during the pandemic… individuals prepay their rounds, larger gaps in between t times, no rakes in bunkers, removal of ball washers, pins not removed and filled in with pool noodles so the ball doesn’t drop into the hole, no hanging out in the clubhouse, seated areas in restaurants closed, just take out available, etc…. I have not heard of a course that is limiting players to one per round…. In light of all the other courses in the Bay Area, State and checking in with my friends playing in multiple other states in the nation, I am not aware of any which are imposing a one player limit to t times…. with what unique requirements, knowledge or safety metric is Palo Alto considering that is unique to our area? I am a big safety first person, but I just dont get how this could possibly make sense as a requirement to open up Baylands…. Golf is not a priority of course, but it seems by its very nature, safe…. individuals play their own balls in the open, with only groupings at the t box and greens which can easily be managed by physical distancing…. I played yesterday at Half Moon Bay and although I was a bit apprehensive to start playing again, I realized that my experience was actually safer than going to the grocery store to get our food…… and the four hours of being outside in nature was a healthy distraction from the pressures and anxiety of the days we live in. Hopefully Palo Alto will open Baylands soon and work within the norms already implemented at other local courses.
Is there a way we can filter all messages that contain the string “pickleball”?
Please?
“We’re hoping it will end up lowering the volume and speed on those streets and they won’t be used for cut-through,”
If you’re going to divert them to Middlefield Rd, please slow them down. They treat it like it’s an expressway.
It’s only one or two, spamming the whole thread with multiple names.
Mountain View and Sunnyvale opened their golf courses on Monday. San Jose opens today. Why is our course still closed? Look at what Sunnyvale is doing, copy it, and open the gate. It’s not that hard.
Pickleball is such a fabulous game for all ages. Picklers are very welcoming and happy to teach the game to all.
It is great exercise and easy to learn. Thank you Monica!
Pickleball is such a fabulous game for all ages. Picklers are very welcoming and happy to teach the game to all.
It is great exercise and easy to learn. Thank you Monica!
Don’t worry, I go on remote stuff and very early. You’ll never see me, but all the wildlife will 🙂
Can all the pickball people posting above, particularly those from outside Palo Alto, be reminded that it is family groups who live together are the only ones allowed to play.
The same for tennis, the same for basketball and the same for soccer.
Social distancing still applies, no shared equipment, and no social groups before or afterwards.
I can personally vouch for authenticity of at least 50% of the PBall supporters writing here to be actual living persons who love the game. If you could have seen the pre-SIP crowds of players numbering from 50-100 every day of the week enjoying this game you would appreciate the enthusiasm of these writers, not attempt to minimize their appreciation of the game.
Thank goodness Palo Altans get their pickle ball back!
God forbid someone should try to open their art gallery.
The hypocrisy of this audience never fails to disappoint.
Okay…and since is an art gallery an “essential business”?
Come to think of it, why is a gun shop an essential business? Hmmmmmm?
@cultist well, for many art is a soothing spiritual calming medium. But based on your posts I trul wouldn’t expect you to understand. It’s Ok.
And for you pickle ballers, I’m actually really happy it’s opened back up, totally supportive if it, it’s obvious it’s been a great source of excel IES, stress relieve and just “fun” for all. It’s just really really sad that people can’t see the same for other businesses….again, they hypocrisy is frightening.
Hoo boy…so all of the museums that have been doing virtual tours are going about it all wrong? Gee, who would have thought…
Save your pity for those who actually deserve it — like, say, those healthcare providers who are literally risking their lives dealing with this pandemic.
Of course, that would require to deal with those facts that you seem to have a problem with…
What FACTS @cultist? The FACT that our hospitals are empty and laying off healthcare workers? The FACT that California never ever once got even close to using a portion of their COVID response units, their ventilators?
There’s absolutely no reason a small local art gallery can’t open to those who wish to go in a very controlled socially distanced manor. The bigger question is why do you have such a problem with it? Why does your fear need to dictate what others can SAFELY do?
But hey, let’s all play pickle ball and it’ll be fine.
Oh brother — you just can’t help yourself, can you?
Why are so invested in an art gallery in Menlo Park, for crying out loud? Unless it happens to be about a gun shop in Mountain View that is still closed…right?
Pickleball lovers need to read the fine print, like tennis it is only supposed to be played with family members. Be prepared to turn a friend into a family member if the pickleball police show-up
This restriction a good example of overreach and lack of common sense by our politicians and officials. If the issue is sharing a ball in tennis for instance then have each player bring a can of balls and only pickup yours. If your opponents balls are on your side of the court kick or flick with your racquet back to the other side. Simple…. common sense
Posted by YP, a resident of Crescent Park
>> This restriction a good example of overreach and lack of common sense by our politicians and officials.
Sometimes “common sense” is not correct. People don’t naturally understand fluid dynamics intuitively. Look at this video of coughing without a mask. Reality doesn’t always behave the way people expect.
https://www.cnn.com/videos/health/2020/05/04/cough-coronavirus-masks-kaye-pkg-vpx.cnn/video/playlists/coronavirus/
>> If the issue is sharing a ball in tennis for instance then have each player bring a can of balls and only pickup yours.
Coughing and other spray could be one issue. Another issue could be sharing balls. Another issue is restrooms.
Don’t get me wrong — I think we can smartly expand some types of low-risk business and exercise activity. But, “common sense” is not the right approach. We need to do this in an informed, educated way– there are easily-overlooked subtleties to staying safe. It is a kind of “situation ethics” that is very difficult for most people because it requires constantly thinking through actions for which habits have long been formed.
Let’s refresh our memories…back to the ancient times…March 1, 2020
An un-seeable virus transmitted by humans before they have outward signs of infection has just begun to run rampant in the community. We have little science to work with other than seeing what happened in China, and more ominously Italy. We are desperately short of the tools necessary for our health care community to manage the infections based on the current run-away infection rates.
Based on the very best science and information to be relied on, the ONLY means of arresting the infection rate was to lock everything down as tight as reasonably possible until such time as the infection rate abates and we have better information to manage the pandemic.
In this case our State, County, and Palo Alto government took exactly the correct precautions to slow the spread and provide sufficient time for the medical/public health community to understand the virus’ behavior and manage the correct path forward.
It worked. The virus infection rate is decreasing. Now, with the benefit of an additional 60+ days of research, we have a better idea of how to reduce the infection rates and manage the virus until a reliable therapy is developed.
The fact that we are slowly modifying the quarantine in small increments is just plain smart. This way if small changes result in unanticipated increases in the infection rate, we only need to reverse the small changes. Each step in relaxing presents a risk to public health as well as a benefit to the economy.
This is not a casino. If you open everything up at once and let the dice roll, the house rules. You will lose. For the time being, the virus own’s the house. Eventually, we will have a reliable therapy. When that happens, and ONLY then, we can return to normal.
For the “common sense” out there …
Look at the Johns Hopkins chart PER CAPITA:
http://91-divoc.com/pages/covid-visualization/
This country is doing absolute worst compared to all others (again, normalized by the population, per capita).
I so pity those who cannot live without shooting a ball over the net, or without re-filling their big sugary drinks at the restaurant.
It’s fantastic you’ve reopened the beautiful new pickleball courts at Mitchell Park — thanks so much for installing them in the first place. They are used often and joyfully by the many pickleball fans in Palo Alto and the local vicinity.
It appears now that media is slowly waking up and looking past those
slideshows of Dr. Birx about testing “capacity” blah blah blah.
As I noted earlier, the “Emergency Use Authorization” test kits
are NOT yet proven! But in the eagerness to get some garbage
data out, they spun and spun..Ineffective leadership! I have
reached out to Gov Newsom, Congresswoman Eshoo, Senators Harris
and Feinstein, going through the cumbersome process of web forms
to write them emails. (Why do they not advertise their emailids
when they publish their (anti)social platform handles?”)
>>> 5. Useless without availability of rapid, *reliable*, COVID19 test.
>> -Current testing is reliable and fast. (..deleted rest…)
The PCR test is reliable but not fast. Other RT tests are under
“Emergency Use Authorization”, important part usually omitted,
and are not yet proven, only used in limited settings, and requires
another real PCR test to confirm results.
But there’s a lot of spin out there as if the tests are rapid,
reliable and widely available, ignoring fineprints – misinformation#3.
A call to your primary care physician will clarify whether you
can get a COVID19 test, how often you can get tested. That’s my
reliable source of information.
Careful out there!
please open pools, especially for exercise. keep locker rooms closed if you want but some people need swimming to thrive.
I was a tennis player. by accident I tried pickleball I found it is so fun
i love it more then tennis.
during the stay at home. I play pickleball in the backyard with my family almost everyday. My son and daughter gradually pick up the pickleball and love playing.
Pickleball becaome part of our life. it is so important.
Thanks
What’s so special about pickle ball?
That’s what I endeavored to find out after hearing how popular it’s gotten to be so quickly.
Perhaps one reason is that, unlike most other sports, anyone can enjoy the game no matter your skill level. A great shot doesn’t have to be a hard kill and the structure of the game enables longer rallies without harrowing foot work and endurance.
What this all means is a heck of a lot of fun for everyone! So much so that everyone who comes to the Palo Alto courts walks away with only one thought. “I can’t wait to get back here and learn and play with these wonderful folks”
Monica is the primary catalyst for this pickle ball passion in our area.
I dearly miss playing and know we all have to slow this pandemic by preventing its spread. (I have been in Hospital Clinical lab for 40+ years) . However, I do believe the game could be played very safely with just singles play. Players never come within 6 feet of each other and we could avoid touching a shared ball by having the person serving use only their own ball.
My wife and I tried this on our driveway. She served only Red balls and I yellow. To return your opponents ball, simply kick it along the fence line back to them. Could also use a glove but have to take care not to touch your face with it. I did try a salad sever but it kept falling out of my pocket.
Anyway, we PB addicts would follow any safety protocols to allow use to play safely again. So much easier to stay in shape when you are doing a aerobic sport that is so much fun.
Mike Lee
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There’s a big caveat though: It’ll be crowded unless you know where and when to go.
You can’t get 40 years of local knowledge from a trail map or Google Earth, and for that, we thank you.