NEWS FILE PHOTO — Kyley Cross splashes into the water a Hill Pool during public swimming on Thursday, June 6, 2019.
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant
Swimming pools and fitness facilities across the province can open as soon as Friday, but City of Medicine Hat recreation facilities will remain closed until plans to safely reopen can be developed, local officials said this week.
That comes as altered “relaunch” plans were announced by provincial government and health officials late Tuesday, moving up dates and adding some facilities and private businesses that were previously captured in the next stage of easing restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic.
Right now, there is no date for when outdoor pools, splash parks or gyms operated by the City of Medicine Hat might reopen, but planning has been underway, said officials, who will now match city planning against specific guidelines due from health officials.
“We understand from the community’s perspective, they want these facilities open,” said Merrick Brown, who oversees health and safety for the City of Medicine Hat along with being the director of emergency management.
“We all need to understand that we can’t open these facilities on the fly. If there’s a stated date, we can’t flick a switch and open (a facility like) the Family Leisure Centre … it’s quite a complex, multi-use facility with pools and gyms.”
Earlier Tuesday, city officials told reporters that the Esplanade Arts and Heritage Centre was slated to reopen to the public June 15 with some restrictions on crowd sizes and changes to programming.
Recreation facilities shut down across the city and across the province in mid-March when provincial health officials reduced the number of people who could safely gather in one place.
Those restrictions are now being eased in a staged process that groups businesses, events and activities.
Council meetings
City council meetings will remained closed to the public this month, but media could be allowed to physically attend the proceedings in early July, Mayor Ted Clugston said Tuesday.
The meetings, which have been broadcast on the city’s website while reporters have been accorded teleconference access, have been held as scheduled throughout the pandemic.
Last month they moved from chambers at city hall to the Esplanade Studio Theatre to allow more space for physical distancing of council members and administrative staff.
As limits on the size of gatherings have increased, the city clerks office is considering allowing members of the media to attend, though restrictions would still prevent the general public from accessing the room.
The delay to July is the result of the legal requirement for city governments to advertise special conditions for council meetings in advance. Since the deadline for announcing changes to the June 15 meeting has passed, the changes may have to wait until the July 6 meeting.
