New special use permits available for churches, gyms, youth sports

YOUTH SPORTS, CHURCHES, GYMS ANDOTHER BUSINESSOPERATIONS IMPACTED BY COVID-19ARE GETTING SOMEEXTRA SUPPORT TONIGHT FROM THECITY OF BAKERSFIELDWITH A NEW PERMIT NOWAVAILABLE--THAT WILL ALLOW FORMODIFY OPERATIONS TO TAKE PLACEIN A CITY MAINTANEDPARK.23ABC'S TORI COOPER IS JOININGUS LIVE FROM YOKUTSPARK IN SOUTH EAST BAKERSFIELDWITH DETAILS ONTHE PERMIT AND HOW YOU CAN APPLYTORI?YES AUSTIN,YOKUTS PARK HERE IN NORTHBAKERSFIELD WHERE CITYOFFICIALS SAY THIS IS JUST ONEOF NINE DIFFERENT PARKSTHAT WILL NOW BE AVAILABLE FORUSE THROUG A SPECIAL USEPERMIT PROCESS THATS FREE RIGHTNOW DURING COVID-19-BUT YOUWILL HAVE TO APPLY"THERES NO SPECIFIC DEADLINE,THIS WAS CREATED SIMILAR TO WHATTHE CITY DIDWITH RESTAURANTS DOWNTOWN ORRESTAURANTS BEING ABLE TO EXPANDINTOSIDEWALKS AND PARKING AREAS,WHICH THEY WOULD NOT NORMALLYDO.SO, DURING COVID WE ARE OFFERINGTHIS PERMIT FOR FREE."DIANE HOOVER THE DIRECTOR FORTHE CITY OF BAKERSFIELD'SRECREATION & PARKS DEPARTMENTSAYS THE CITY ISNOW ISSUING A NEW FREE COVID-19SPECIAL USE PERMIT THATCHURCHES, FITNESS GYMS AND LOCALYOUTH SPORTSASSOCIATIONS CAN APPLY FOR .THE RECREATION AND PARK'SDEPARTMENT TELLS 23ABC ASOF FRIDAY THREE SPORTSASSOCIATIONS AND ONE CHURCHHAVE APPLIED .

FOR THOSE WHOWANT TO A TO APPLY FOR THESPECIAL PERMIT APPLICATION ALINK CAN BE FOUND ONLINE."SO THEY WOULD HAVE TO SHOW USTHEIR INSURANCE, THAT THEY AREINSUREDAND WE HAVE SPECIFIC PARKS THATTHEY CAN USE BECAUSE WE WANTEDPARKS ONE THAT A PARKING LOTTHEY COULD OFF STREET PARKINGAND TWOHAD A RESTROOM."PARKS THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE FORTHIS USE INCLUDE, YOKUTS,BEECH,PATRIOTS, GRISOM, WAYSIDE,GREYSTONE, PARK AT RIVERWALK,SIEMEN PARK..AND STERN PARKTHOSE WHO APPLY WILL HAVE TOPROVIDE INFORMATIONABOUT HOW THEY ARE FOLLOWINGSTATE COVID-19 GUIDELINES THATAPPLY TO THEIR INDUSTRY-INCLUDING SOCIAL DISTANCINGMEASURES, MASK WEARING AND MORE.BUT HOOVER SAYS YOUTH SPORTSPROGRAMS DO HAVE AN EXTRAHURDLE OR TWO JUMP THROUGH."THEY WOULD HAVE TO STAY IN THESAME GROUP, THEY WOULD HAVE TOSHOW USTHAT THEY ARE FOLLOWING THESTATE PROTOCOLS FOR YOUTH SPORTSANDCURRENTLY NO ADULT SPORTS AREABLE TO COMPETE AT THIS TIME."FORMER CSUB BASEBALL COACH,BASEBALL TRAINING FACILITYOWNER AND PROFESSIONAL SCOUTTEAM COACH-BILLGENTRY- SAYS COVID-19RESTRICTIONS HAVE BEEN REALSTRAIN ON PLAYERS MENTALLY,PHYSICALLY ANDEMOTIONALLY...THEY'VE HAD 31GAMES CANCELLED.GENTRY BELIEVES THIS NEW PERMITIS WIN FOR HIS TEAM.WELL IT'S A START AND ITSGETTING THE KIDSBACK ON THE FIELD AND I REALLYLIKE TO SEE IT FOR THE SCHOOLS.ALL THESE HIGH SCHOOL COACHESTHE COLLEGE PROGRAMS THEIRSTRUGGLINGWITH THIS."NOW COACH GENTRY SAYS HE JUSTHOPES THEY CAN AT LEAST GET THEPLAYER BACK IN A PARK OR FIELDTO JUST PROVIDE A SENCEJUST HOPES THEY CAN AT LEAST GETTHE PLAYER BACK IN A PARK ORFIELD TO JUST PROVIDE A SENCE OFNORMALCY EVEN THOUGHTHEY CAN'T COMPETE.

AND JUSTREMEMBER IF YOU ARE INTERESTEDIN APPLYING FOR THIS NEW PERMITHEAD TO OUR WEBSITE TURN TO 23DOT COM..THE COMMUNITY IS COMING TOGETHERTO REMEMBERJUST HOPES THEY CAN AT LEAST GETTHE PLAYER BACK IN A PARK ORFIELD TO JUST PROVIDE A SENCE OFNORMALCY EVEN THOUGHTHEY CAN'T COMPETE.

AND JUSTREMEMBER IF YOU AREINTERESTED IN APPLYING FOR THISNEW PERMIT HEAD TO OURWEBSITE TURN TO 23 DOT COM..