The Oregon State Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) issued a news release Sunday, stating they will close state parks “end of day” Monday and will close beaches if social distancing is not followed.
From the release:
At the direction of Governor Kate Brown, and in keeping with the guidance that all Oregonians should stay home and stay healthy, the Oregon State Park system will close at the end of the day Monday, March 23. Day-use areas will be closed starting March 23 at 5 p.m. Campers need to check out no later than 1 p.m.
State Park officials said there were “clear signs that travellers are not following advice to avoid full parks and a statewide park closure is necessary.”
Many Lincoln City residents took to social media decrying the large influx of visitors and were demanding action be taken.
This will affect state parks in Lincoln City, including D River Wayside and Roads End where bathrooms and parking areas will be closed.
Beaches can be closed by OPRD at their discretion and will be closed if social distancing practices are not followed.
All travellers are advised to follow the guidance to stay home and stay healthy, park officials said.
“We would have preferred an orderly shutdown of the system and to remain open for daytime visits, but our concern for the effects on rural health care systems requires us to move up and expand our plans,” says Lisa Sumption, director of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. “We know this will cause a disruption, since we’re suspending service to everyone, even people who live near a park. Reducing contact between people is more important than recreation at the moment.”
To prevent COvid 19 from spreading to Lincoln City and environs, beaches, motels and rental properties MUST be closed as well! This last weekend was ample evidence that visitors are not respecting social distancing. PLEASE ACT!!!
Only a certain percentage of people are taking this crisis seriously,
the city knew spring breaks were coming and sat on it’s backside doing
virtually nothing to safeguard it’s residents. All short term lodging should have been and needs closed now.
Our elected officials are going to regret this lack of fortitude.
Ok, I feel some sympathy for people who want to visit, and might have practiced some responsibility, but look- it’s all or nothing, and right now, we need all to stay home. Tourism will return, it always does after hurricanes, earthquakes, fires. I live next to the only vrd zoned subdivision in Lincoln City, yes- there is an area specifically for vrds,
it’s got over 130, and we see what’s going on through the windows, How about closing the border with Washington for a start?
Mayor I work in vrd industry. As always these big homes are flipped fast. Example: 12 Guest from Northern California leaves at 11:00 and 1 person cleanes a huge 3-5 bathroom home by themselves for next 8 guests from Washington at 4:00. These homes are barely getting sanitized! This is always the case. The big corporations advertisement of extra cleaning is a con. Everything is running the same, just get it done! You couldn’t pay me to stay in any of these homes right now.
Understand this! There will be some of us who won’t get it but,the majority will and we won’t get another chance to do the right thing here and help STOP ✋ the spead of Covid-19 for the sake of all of us!!!
WE THE PEOPLE !!!
No second chances here
i contacted vacasa about a vrd house in lincoln city to see if they had a rental for 14 people……they said they had several available that would work….!