In a Town Hall meeting on May 28, Mayor Libby Schaaf and her staff, including Nicholas Williams, the Director of Parks, Recreation, and Youth Development, shared an update with the public on the plans for kid-centric activities this summer. They also answered lots of questions about trash clean-up and off-leash dogs. Watch it yourself and/or join in next Thursday at 6 pm.
Here's a re-cap
Oakland Town Camp
Town Camp is the City-operated camp for children. While it typically serves 1500 children, this year it can only accommodate 500 kids because of increased social distancing.
Requirements: Town Camp is exclusively intended for essential workers who must leave home for work.
Fees: The base price is $180/week. No family will be turned away for lack of financial resources.
Website
NOTE: If you have already paid for Town Camp and you are no longer eligible or available, you can have a full refund.
Measures to fight Covid-19 at camp:
- Small pods of children to limit exposure groups
- Lots of sanitizing and cleaning shared equipment
- Physical and social distance
Other camps that adhere to Alameda County and CDC guidelines will also be eligible to operate, so there ought to be other camps operating in and around Oakland.
Oakland Libraries
Oakland Libraries are doing what they can to serve the community, they will be doing live storytimes and also reading games. Card holders can check out digital books, movies, and music through the libraries.
Website.
Swimming Pools in Oakland
Short answer: NOT YET. Williams reported that they are actively making a plan in accordance with the CDC guidelines to open public swimming pools. Look for an updated announcement on the progress of these plans in about two weeks.
Summer Learning
OUSD programs connect students with a credentialed teacher for direct instruction (think: Summer School). All OUSD students who have been loaned a chromebook can keep them through the school year. There are also many learning applications that
Slow Streets
Some stretches of Oakland streets are closed off to through-traffic to allow neighbors to walk, roller skate, bike, jog, and skateboard without fear of speedy traffic. Website for most current map. Using the interactive map, residents can up-vote or down-vote other city blocks under consideration.

Free Meals for Oakland kids
Today was the last day of school for OUSD kids. If you and your family need a summer food program site, the location may be different than where you were served during the school year.
Related:
- Find more to do on our Summer Bucket List for Families
- See which other camps are planning to operate in June
Note: Shelter in Place orders from the Governor, including updates on what is open and what is not, are overridden by whatever our Counties and Cities decide based on current disease spread.