Full Notification

The Lake Forest Clubhouse (Senior Center), and Community Center are closed until at least the end of March, based on an advisory from the California Department of Public Health. The Recreation Center at the Lake Forest Sports Park will close Saturday, March 14.
 
The South OC Pet Expo and Meet the Mayor/State of the City events are postponed and may be cancelled. The joint workshop of City Commissions and City Council will be held as scheduled March 17. City Hall will also keep regular hours.
 
“The health and safety of our residents is always our top priority,” Mayor Neeki Moatazedi said Thursday. “Although we recognize our Senior Clubhouse and other facilities are important to many of our residents, the state Department of Public Health makes it clear that we must suspend operations.”
 
Classes and special events at the Etnies Skatepark of Lake Forest are also cancelled, although open skate will continue until further notice. The Recreation Center closure takes effect Saturday, March 14. The City is also coordinating with recreational soccer, baseball and other sports leagues on best practices with the potential of postponement.
 
The California Department on Public Health on Thursday said cancelling or postponing public gatherings is necessary to protect public health and slow the rate of transmission of COVID-19. The advisory specified that gatherings of individuals who are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19 should be limited to no more than 10 people. The Centers for Disease Control has identified older adults as those at higher risk of contracting the virus.
 
The California Department of Public Health advisory issued Thursday says the events should be cancelled or postponed through the end of March. The state also advised all residents to minimize participating in non-essential gatherings and use “social distancing,” keeping 6 feet away from others.
 
“The timely implementation of aggressive strategies that create social distance and those that reduce close contact of people not regularly together, including limiting gatherings, has proven effective in prior pandemics at delaying rates of transmission and reducing illness and death,” the state says.
 
 City officials are working closely with Orange County and state health officials to track developments on the Coronavirus. Mayor Moatazedi urged residents to follow the City’s social media and use the Lake Forest hotline at (949) 461-3536 for updates.