Hundreds celebrate Easter at Gateway Park

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Many locals celebrating Easter Sunday at Gateway Park as the weather warms up making for a relaxing day by the Colorado River.

A devastating year due to the COVID-19 pandemic left families not being able to celebrate the holiday or even had to alter their plans to mitigate the spread.

“Last year with covid happening we weren't really able to do anything so we decided this year just to make it bigger and better than we ever had, had done it before, and it's been a lot of fun so far,” said Sarah Watson.

But as the county sees an increase in vaccine allocation, it's allowing for more residents to get their vaccine, which is promising as we move forward.
 
One family we spoke to has been coming out to Gateway Park for years.

“I feel like this year, it means so much more to us because we weren't together last year, and you don't realize that until you're together again how much those times really mean to you. So we're just having a great time we've been out here all afternoon and we're just soaking up the sun and the family time and just appreciating that this year we were able to do something versus last year where we really couldn’t.”

Sarah Watson says she’s been doing this since she was a young girl and now she has kids of her own.

“Now, me and all my cousins and siblings have kids so we've kind of pass it on down to them so that they can enjoy something that we enjoyed as kids,” she added.

Over in Arizona's largest city, Gov. Doug Ducey (R-AZ) and Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego are going head to head.
 
Gov. Ducey has demanded the city to drop its plans to close parking lots and grills at city parks to limit the spread of covid-19 on easter weekend.
 
He says that the city's restrictions will make it harder for people to use public parks and ultimately drive family gatherings indoors, where the risk of coronavirus transmission is higher.