City recreation facilities will close this weekend as part of new lockdown measures in Alberta. The Family Leisure Centre is seen in this undated file photo.-NEWS FILE PHOTO
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant
All major city recreation and cultural facilities will be closed this weekend in a repeat of spring shutdown to comply with new, tightening provincial health orders.
As of a Sunday deadline, the Family Leisure Centre, Co-op Place, the Kinplex and Hounds Arenas will close their doors and suspend all programming until January, as will the Nature Centre at Police Point Park and the Esplanade, which will be closed at the end of business hours Friday.
“We understand the community’s reaction and frustration to these additional restrictions, but we continue to encourage residents to be kind and respectful to one another,” said Merrick Brown, the city’s director of emergency management.
“These measures are meant to help protect our health system and our residents. But these measures are temporary and we will get through this together.”
City hall will remain open to the general public, but with a 15 per cent cap on visitor capacity, like other local government offices in Redcliff and Cypress County.
Those with business to transact are asked to explore online or phone service options.
The province has asked all Albertans to limit contacts as much as possible to stem a rising number of COVID-19 cases across the province.
Outdoor parks remain open for the public, as well as trails, the Kin Coulee Toboggan Hill and the Saamis Tepee. The province has warned against outdoor socializing and gathering in groups, though general use of parks is not prohibited.
YMCA alternative services
The YMCA of Medicine released a statement Wednesday that while its downtown and South Ridge locations are closed to the public and in-person activity is suspended, fitness classes and equipment rentals are moving online.
The YMCA day camps and after-school care centres will remain open as before under sector-specific health guidelines, and the employment centres in both Brooks and Medicine Hat are open by appointment only.
“The health and safety of our members, program participants, employees and volunteers continue to be our top priority,” CEO Sharon Hayward said in a statement outlining the move to alternative and online services, or continuation of childcare programs. “We recognize how essential these services are for families.”
