The City of Medicine Hat and local school boards are planning a co-ordinated reopening of playground equipment - like this jungle gym at Ewart Park - to the public, officials told reporters on Wednesday.--NEWS PHOTO COLLIN GALLANT
The city’s parks department and local school boards are jointly planning how and when to reopen swing sets and playground equipment from pandemic lockdown provisions, city officials told reporters on Wednesday morning.
And that could be soon, said city emergency management director Merrick Brown, who received new health orders on Tuesday regarding playgrounds.
“We want to have a united effort on this to limit confusion,” said Brown, adding that having about 100 city playgrounds and others at school open in different groups is needlessly complex and potentially confusing.
Brown and Mayor Ted Clugston have often said that an array of pandemic rules in different provinces, as well as different interpretations in different cities in Alberta, has led to some anxiety in the public about current local rules – what’s open, what’s not – and potential misinterpretation or calls to police about perceived infractions.
Play structures throughout Medicine Hat have been off-limits to the public since April 10, the date provincial health orders sought to limit common touch points for children to limit the spread of the coronavirus between family groups.
That provincial order has been eased, said Brown, but local playgrounds – including those on school properties and in Redcliff and Cypress County – won’t open until restrictions can be lifted throughout the region.
“There’s no specific date, but we can open them when we feel ready. We have quite a bit of work to do before we can deem them safe, and meet the compliance requirements in the (provincial guidelines),” said Brown.
New guidelines from the province require each piece of equipment to be inspected by the city, school board or other owners, for general safety and then cleaned. As well, signs will be posted to explain standing health recommendations about maintaining physical distance from members of another family, general hygiene.
Fire Dept. warning
Businesses that have altered their operations to reopen need to maintain access to fire exits, the Medicine Hat Fire Service is reminding owners and managers.
A release from the department states that while operators are rearranging furniture or displays to allow customers to maintain physical distance – a condition set down may health officials – rules about not blocking exits must be observed.
“All exists must remain accessible in the event of an emergency,” said Carter Gramlich, a fire prevention officer, who stated that some inspections have found impediments to evacuation plans.
Businesses may use signage to direct customers to one exit, but cannot physically obstruct a designated exit or access to an exit.
Locks on doors must also comply with code requirements and must be easily operable without requiring keys or special knowledge.
