Burbank’s Chandler Bikeway draws outdoor enthusiasts taking a break from shelter-in-place measures
There are few outdoor recreational activities left for people now that most beaches, hiking trails and golf courses in Southern California have been shut down in an effort to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.
While going outdoors isn’t banned, those who want to go outside after being holed up at home for several days have found the Chandler Bikeway to be the cure for that itch.
On Tuesday afternoon, dozens of people and families were walking, jogging or biking up and down the roughly 3-mile path along Chandler Boulevard that stretches from Mariposa Street in Burbank to Vineland Avenue in North Hollywood.
Those utilizing the bikeway adhered — or at least tried to adhere — to the social-distancing guideline of staying 6 feet away from one another.
Kristen Sagona, a Sun Valley resident who works at Pickwick Gardens, said she was hesitant and somewhat scared to walk down the path with her daughter after seeing so many other people out and about that afternoon.
However, Sagona said she and her daughter have been cooped up inside their home for a few days and thought spending some time outside would be good for both of them.
“We’re just trying to make the best of everything while we’re together,” Sagona said.
Farther down the path was Dawn Gee, who was walking with her dog. Gee, who lives near the Burbank-Toluca Lake border, said she had finished all of the home-improvement projects she’d been putting off for months and had nothing else to do.
As a hiker, Gee said she spent a lot of her time going up and down the trails at Stough Canyon and the other areas nearby, but she resorted to using the Chandler Bikeway after those trails and other recreational activities were closed to the public due to large crowds still congregating after being told not to by health officials.
“I can’t walk in the mall or go out to eat, but mentally I need to be outside and walking,” Gee said. “I don’t want to just sit around and eat all the groceries I bought for the week. Walking out here is good for families and people that are solo.”
Not far behind Gee were Tyler and Kate Stanley. The North Hollywood couple said they’ve been walking the Chandler Bikeway for almost a week and added that some days were busier than others on the trail.
“It’s a good thing we have a good relationship with one another,” Kate Stanley said. “Imagine if you were in the middle of a break-up or had a roommate that you hated. That would suck.”
Because of the shelter-in-place orders, the Stanleys said they’ve been working out a lot more than they used to before the pandemic.
They’ve spent their days at home cooking various recipes and binge-watching shows and movies on Netflix and Hulu, but they felt it was time to go outside.
“I’m thankful that we live in California, where the weather is mostly nice,” Tyler Stanley said.
