City recreation and facilities to remain open with new restrictions

News 100 redBy Staff

November 14th, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Yesterday, the province announced Halton Region, including Burlington, will move into the Red (Control) Phase with additional restrictions to help control the spread of COVID-19. This takes effect on Monday, Nov. 16 and will be in place for a minimum of 28-days.

City of Burlington facilities and recreation programming can remain open with new restrictions in addition to ones already in place. Recreation Services staff are contacting user groups, renters and individuals affected by these changes.

New restrictions for City facilities and recreation as a result of moving in the Red (Control) Phase include:

• 10 people maximum for indoor programs such as ice pads, gymnasiums, pools, etc.

• 25 people maximum for outdoor programs

• Drop-in recreation programs will have a maximum capacity of 10 people. This includes Aquatic Fitness, recreational swimming and skating, lap swims, etc.

• Swimming lessons and indoor pickleball are cancelled

no no no

A lot of no,no coming out of city hall. Expect more of this in the days and weeks ahead.

• No spectators permitted at sports and recreational fitness facilities except for parent/guardian supervision of children

• All other program participants will receive targeted communication
These new restrictions will impact program providers in the following ways:

• For all team sport, indoor and outdoor game-play is no longer permitted

• Teams in City facilities and on City fields can adjust their programming to training and skill development with a maximum of 10 people indoor and 25 outdoor. Program participants are encouraged to reach out to their organization for additional information

• If you are a participant in a non-City program, please connect with your organization to understand how this may impact you

• No spectators permitted at sports and recreational fitness facilities except for parent/guardian supervision of children

• No contact permitted for team or individual sports

• Limit duration of stay to 90 minutes

• Require active screening, contact information and attendance for all patrons

• No live performances. Performing arts rehearsal or performing a recorded or broadcasted event permitted
• Singers and players of brass or wind instruments must be separated from any other performers by plexiglass or other impermeable barrier
Existing restrictions that will remain for City facilities and recreation include:
• Physical distancing
• Mandatory face coverings
• Mandatory health pre-screening, pre-registration and online payment

Virtual programming, Active at Home is still available at burlington.ca/activeathome and offers a wide variety of activities.

Anyone with questions should follow-up with their sport provider or user group or you can call Recreation Services’ Customer service at 905-335-7738.

Mayor Marianne Meed Ward added her position to the provincial announcement.

Meed Ward with chain Sept 23-19

Mayor Marianne Meed Ward

“Today, the Province revised the thresholds for movement in its new COVID-19 Framework and moved Region of Halton into the Red (Control) level with additional restrictions to help control the spread of COVID-19. The new level allows most businesses to remain open with additional protocols and restrictions.

I support this measure along with the new thresholds given the new and concerning modelling that was released this week. The Halton Mayors and Regional Chair had previously requested that any additional restrictions be based on transparent health indicators. The new data shows Halton meets the criteria for this change to a new level.

I continue to ask our residents to please follow the updated restrictions and guidelines from our Medical Officer of Health that include limiting social gatherings to household members, limiting outings to essential trips, and continuing to wear masks when social distancing is not possible.”
recommend everyone to check out the videos and stay active and safe.”

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4 comments to City recreation and facilities to remain open with new restrictions

  • Jackie Bird

    I find this a bit confusing, so does this mean a gym for example like planet fitness is allowed only 10 members at a time…. including the staff ???? so it dropped from 50 to 10? Or is it just the classes that are allowed a max of 10…I heard planet fitness is closing down as of Midnight on the 16th … they cant operate on just having 10 people in the gym at one time… were there any covid 19 cases at gyms so far… I know Covid is serious and needs to get under control but mental health and fitness is also important…. can you please clarify further…thanks

  • Mrs Walt

    I agree with restrictions to households gathering only–both indoors/outdoors
    this should apply to restaurants/parks/apartment buildings and condos
    —I know it is hard to monitor apartment and condo buildings, however, apartment and condo
    buildings owners/landlords should be held responsible for having better control over the
    actions of their tenants
    —tennants should be notified by landlords or owners that if visitors who are not living in
    their household/apartments will possibly face with evictions (unless visitors are(iesential)
    -if landlords/owners failed to do that, then, they should be faced with a fine
    -I live in an apartment with older and vulnerable people..However, the visitors’ parking lot
    is constantly packed–especially, weekends and evenings; nothing is being done
    -hallways and elevators are very small–masks are seldomly worn; social distancing is difficult
    -a lot of these buildings are older with very poor circulation–if any

    This should be addressed and something should be done as this crowding, I am sure,is or
    could be a source of the virus spreading

    thank you

  • Don’t count on these STOP THE SPREAD measures in RED being the final say Mr. Editor. If we are not mistaken the Premier asked Dr. Williams to come back next week with more recommendations to stop the spread in the hot spots; which we clearly have been one of since late October. Further the Premier has always maintained the Regions have the power through the MOH to do more. Contrary to Mayor Meed Ward’s position that the Halton Mayors were looking for restrictions to be based on transparent health indicators these indicators that Halton was part of the hot spots were staring us all including the Premier (who warned Halton they were in his sight) in the face. Their silence has had deathly results exactly the same as occurred in Burlington April 2006-December 2007 – 91+ deaths from a known infectious disease outbreak. The one page email evidence in the files of those in charge at Joseph Brant in April 2006 (May 2006 for the Office of the Chief Coroner of Ontario that now comes under Dr. Huyer) shows they knew as of April 2006 that they had a C.Diff outbreak at the hospital. Instead of taking the required legislated action those in charge including the Chief of Staff who headed up the outbreak team remained silent resulting in Burlington and thus Halton Region holding the record for the number of deaths in a healthcare outbreak to date. (marsdens.ca Alerts Page “On Bryant’s Watch”)

    Except for the odd occasion, Halton has had higher positive cases than Hamilton since October 27th and today stand at 20% higher, 801 to 641 according to CHCH Evening News daily positive cases since that date. You do not have to be an epidemiologist to know that the exponential factor will see an increase in Halton`s figures at a greater rate than those of Hamilton unless Halton introduce more stringent enforceable containment measures than Hamilton. Burlington has not been able to get its cyclists to dismount on the Spencer Smith Promenade which was one of the first Burlington emergency orders Me Meed Ward and the other six city/region politicians we elected along with their appointed City Manager Tim Commissio who they made the Chair of the Burlington Emergency Control Group), introduced.

    So what chance do we have of the Mayor encouraging the MOH or Gary Carr to introduce and enforce more stringent “STOP THE SPREAD“ enforceable measures for Halton. We would say far less chance than if we had elected Snow White and six of the seven dwarfs who then brought in `Doc` to head up the Burlington Control Group with absolutely no public input from those who can make up for the void in their administrative/infection control skills. For crying out loud Meed Ward admitted she was back at school learning about mitigating risk factors – those who elected her thought this was one of the first lessons she learnt from Sheila Jones, then City Auditor, during her 8 years apprenticeship for mayor.

    The Mayor and the Region Chair are Chief Executive Officer positions responsible for the administration of the city and region. WHEN WE ELECT POLITICIANS AND EX HOCKEY PLAYERS TO THESE POSITIONS WE LEARN THE HARD WAY WHAT A HUGE MISTAKE THIS IS. Sadly when lives are at stake because of their uneducated decision-making there is nothing that can be done to raise the dead when we all cotton on to that huge mistake. We can only speak for them if we ever get the chance at an inquest which has yet to occur (although the Ontario Coroners Act states it must) in the case of the 91+ Burlington/Halton decedents April 2006 – December 2007!

  • Penny Hersh

    If residents don’t follow the rules Halton will be put in a more restrictive situation.

    How many people have you seen wearing masks incorrectly? Their masks don’t cover their noses and many whose masks continually slip down. Facial shields without a mask provide no protection.

    When purchasing a mask make certain there is a wire in the nose area so that it can be tightened to fit your face.

    It has now been recommended that all masks have 3 layers of protection. People can continue to use the masks they are using if they put something as simple as a folded paper towel, or coffee filter on their face prior to putting their mask on.

    Wear your mask when you are walking outdoors – it has been shown that the virus can be spread through the air.

    If people would look at masks the same way they look at prescription drugs they would wear their masks properly and without complaint. After all no one would stop taking insulin if they were diabetic.