Introducing the City’s New Virtual Recreation Center
The Culver City Parks, Recreation & Community Services (PRCS) Department is excited to bring our Recreation Center to your home through our new Virtual Recreation Center. We will be updating this page frequently when we come across new resources! Follow our Facebook page and bookmark this page for ideas on how to stay informed, active and entertained while being at home. If you have a tip or information on a cool resource that isn’t listed, please email Stephanie DaVall, Recreation & Community Services Coordinator.
On-Street Parking on Street Sweeping Days
Street sweeping services are still occurring, while parking enforcement on street sweeping days has been temporarily suspended (until April 1, 2020). The City has temporarily relaxed enforcement to address the changing parking needs because more people are working from home. Understanding that the street sweeper must maneuver around parked cars, many residents have inquired about the relaxed enforcement, and on their own have moved their vehicles off of the street on posted street sweeping days.
The City kindly requests motorists to move their cars when possible on street sweeping days during this relaxed enforcement period. If there are any leaves or trash in the curb area that the sweeper cannot reach because of parked cars, the City asks residents to sweep such material out into the street beyond the parked cars an hour or so before the scheduled sweeping time. Or, residents can sweep up the materials and place in their green bins for collection.
The decision to relax street sweeping parking enforcement will be re-evaluated prior to April 1st by the Culver City Police Department to determine if it will be lifted or extended. If you have any questions, please call Public Works at (310) 253-6420. For more information on the City’s response to COVID-19, please visit our website.
How Can I Safely Use City Parks?
The purpose of the City’s “Safer at Home” public order is to slow the spread of COVID-19 to keep it from overwhelming the medical system, thereby saving lives. In order to do that, experts advise that people from different households need to be separated to protect public health at this truly unprecedented time. In the interest of the health and safety of our entire community, the City is requiring residents to stay inside their homes with several exceptions. As long as you maintain at least 6 feet between yourself and others, walking, hiking, running, cycling, scootering, roller skating, and skateboarding are a few of the exceptions that are permitted and encouraged. Organized sports (e.g., paddle ball, basketball) by their nature involve social contact, which is why the City has taken steps to close those areas. Other spaces, such as the Boneyard Dog Park, are somewhat confined and promote congregating, which is why we have had to close them. A field is not a confined space. Therefore, fields will remain open provided people do not congregate or participate in organized group activities on them. We encourage families who live in the same household to take a walk or kick a soccer ball among themselves. However, playing with members of a different household and touching the same ball or coming into contact with each other is not allowed.
If you have more questions about what is and isn’t allowed, you can find details and answers to frequently asked questions on our webpage, or call the City’s Coronavirus Hotline at (310) 253-6890. Again, Public Health authorities have told us that this is the only way we will have a chance at keeping the pandemic from overwhelming the medical system. Thank you for your understanding and thank you for supporting the safety and well-being of the entire Culver City community.
We hope you and your family enjoy your time together in our parks and neighborhoods while remaining safe, healthy and practicing social distancing.
City’s Homelessness Outreach Efforts
City staff, along with the Culver City Police Department’s Mental Health Evaluation Team (MHET), have conducted outreach and will continue to reach out to people in the City currently experiencing homelessness. Over the weekend, Culver City staff and CCPD MHET passed out hand sanitizer and ensured the installation of a hand washing station in the City’s largest encampment. The team also provided individuals with information about Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority's extended Winter Shelter program. Staff is also actively working to bring portable toilets to the location. Collaborative efforts have ensured that there are hand washing stations throughout Los Angeles County.
Community Donation Spotlight
Culver City’s LA Distillery, is one of the many small businesses impacted by COVID-19. While its operations came to a halt during this pandemic, they have not closed their doors entirely. Lewis Harsanyi, president of LA Distillery, shared that he and his business partner are taking this time to do what other distilleries have started to do – make hand sanitizers to meet the demand. As hand sanitizers and other alcohol-based cleaning products have become short in supply and backordered, LA Distillery pivoted their production to meet the increasing demand from emergency first responders and outreach workers. Consistent with CDC guidelines, these hand sanitizers are made of 80% denatured alcohol, propylene glycol, and hydrogen peroxide.
Lewis shared that he is happy to have donated hand sanitizers to our frontline staff to help with homeless outreach efforts and to first responders in the City’s Fire and Police Departments.
Lewis’ kindness truly embodies the spirit of the Culver City community and reminds us of how we can work together while apart during these trying times. The City of Culver City is truly grateful for partnerships with small businesses like LA Distillery.
Feeling Blue? You Are Not Alone.
If the news surrounding COVID-19 is making you feel stressed, anxious, or depressed, call LACDMH 24/7 hotline at (800) 854-7771 or text LA to 741741 to get help.
Neighbors Helping Neighbors
If you are able to assist a neighbor who is 65 or older, or a neighbor who has an underlying medical condition, reach out via phone, text, or drop a note on their doorstep to ask if they need anything before you go to the grocery store or pharmacy. We are all in this together.