The Lathrop City Council offered some clarity on Monday night to what has long been a debatable concept – when exactly are city parks closed?

An ordinance that was approved by the council this week will amend the city’s existing code to change the language to reflect dedicated times that parks are to be in use – moving away from the “from dusk until dawn” language that made enforcement difficult at times because of the ambiguity.

Parks in Lathrop will now be open from October through March from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., and from April through September from 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Having a more enforceable time frame will now make it easier for the Lathrop Police Department to enforce the policy. That enforcement will require new signage at Lathrop’s existing parks that clearly spells out the times that parks can legally be used.

The new time frames will apply to all of Lathrop’s parks – the maintenance and upkeep of which has been a priority of the council as of late. Earlier this year the city opened Sangalang Park back for public use after a multimillion dollar upgrade – reflecting the city’s commitment to ensuring quality recreational opportunities for all residents.

To contact Bulletin reporter Jason Campbell email jcampbell@mantecabulletin.com or call 209.249.3544.