I hope this note finds you well. As we approach Memorial Day 2021, we find ourselves in a much different place than we did a year ago, when beaches were closed, and people were still getting used to the idea of wearing masks.
Much has been accomplished in the last 15 months to help get us through this pandemic, thanks to our staff, our volunteers, our civic partners and Beach Cities residents, all of whom have remained diligent in the battle with COVID-19. There is still much happening and still much to do.
Vaccines
For instance, in March, we turned AdventurePlex from a family play facility into a vaccine clinic. Our team, comprised of staff and numerous volunteers, have administered more than 13,500 doses of vaccine, helping educators, school staff, students and families in the South Bay Consortium for School Vaccines – comprised of 11 public school districts in the South Bay – get vaccinated.
Now, our focus has shifted to helping students get the Pfizer vaccine, now that it has been approved for people aged 12 and above. We continue to work with local school districts to provide opportunities for students to get vaccinated – with their parent or guardian’s permission – either at AdventurePlex or pop-up clinics set up by BCHD at school sites.
All of this is in addition to our COVID-19 testing site in Redondo Beach, which has provided tests for more than 150,000 county residents since April 2020.
Reopenings
Our team has also been busy getting the Center for Health & Fitness reopened, including a new workout area for outdoor classes. I’ve heard great things from our CHF members and staff about how great it is to be back at the gym!
Next up, AdventurePlex will transition back into a family play facility, with camps beginning in June. The response from the public has been impressive and our team is now busy getting ready to provide a safe, welcoming environment for the first campers who arrive June 21!
Healthy Living Campus
With all of this going on, we have also been accepting comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the proposed Healthy Living Campus project, following the release of the Draft EIR March 10. We expanded the state-mandated comment period to 90 days, and the public has until June 10 at 5 p.m. to submit comments pertaining to the technical sufficiency of the document, which can be accessed at https://www.bchdcampus.org/deir.
There are a variety of ways to submit comments listed below. For more information on how to submit a comment, visit bchdcampus.org/eir.
Website: bchdcampus.org/eir
Email: EIR@bchd.org
Mail: Nick Meisinger re: Healthy Living Campus
Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions, Inc.
9177 Sky Park Ct.
San Diego, CA 92123
Annual Report
Our 2019-20 Annual Report will be in your mailbox shortly. To see an online version, click here.
Finally, while the pandemic isn’t over, I hope you get a chance this holiday weekend to reflect on how far we have come as individuals and as a community in the face of this virus. We’ve checked on our neighbors and helped out when we could. We’ve worked from home, worn face masks, washed our hands and stayed physically distant from one another, even cancelling trips and holidays in order to do so. We have been responsible, caring and most of all, resilient. And we will all be better off thanks to our collective efforts.
In health,
Tom
