Six Santa Monica elementary schools will be open to families and youth sports groups as public health orders allow, the city of Santa Monica announced Friday.
The city of Santa Monica had considered eliminating its playground partnership with the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District as part of $82.6 million in ongoing spending cuts that will help bridge the city’s $224 million budget deficit. But City Council voted to maintain the program earlier this month and the city will continue to pay SMMUSD $95,000 annually to provide maintenance and oversight of the playgrounds.
Playgrounds at Franklin, Roosevelt, McKinley, Rogers, Grant and Edison elementary schools will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends and holidays.
During the summer, campuses without summer school will stay open from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Summer school sites will open at 2 p.m.
“We know how important outdoor space and staying active is to Santa Monica families,” said Interim City Manager Lane Dilg. “We’re pleased to continue our strong partnership with SMMUSD to continue to offer our youth access to field and playground space.”
On Tuesday, City Council will vote to restore funding to several other youth and recreation programs.
The CREST after school program would be maintained at its current capacity of 420 participants. Santa Monica Police Activities League Youth Center hours would be increased with access to the center’s dance and art rooms as well as the gymnasium.
The Santa Monica Swim Center will reopen under reduced hours based on guidelines from public health officials.
Memorial Park’s gym and skate park drop-in programs, which serve about 1,000 visitors per day, would continue. Basketball courts and tennis courts, turf fields and the community gardens program will be maintained.
City spokesperson Constance Farrell said the city and SMMUSD are awaiting guidance from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and the Los Angeles County Office of Education as to when after-school sports will return.
She said the city and district will work cooperatively to determine how sports programs can best be provided for children under 14 in the post-coronavirus environment.
madeleine@smdp.com
