By Staff
October 17th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
As of Oct. 17, 2020 the city is “ Pausing all Burlington City-run indoor fitness classes for Adult 19+ and 55+, including indoor pickleball and aquatic fitness. Sports groups limited to training”.
These spaces will remain unused until Public Health determines they are safe places.
Following the recommendation of Halton Region’s Medical Officer of Health and emerging evidence indicating cases from indoor physical activity setting and contact sports are on the rise, the City of Burlington is taking action to help reduce COVID-19 transmission.
Any City of Burlington facility renter offering indoor fitness programs, including dance, Pilates and yoga, are also paused. To confirm if your program is still running, check with your organization.
Within City of Burlington facilities, activities are now limited to training only where proper physical distancing can be maintained. There will be no games or scrimmages until further notice.
The intent of this pause is to slow the spread of COVID-19 and avoid going back into a modified Stage 2 status with further precautions.
The pause will be evaluated frequently and will be lifted once Halton Region Public Health deems it safe to resume these indoor activities in City facilities. The City of Burlington will continue to share updates with the public.
For information on recreation services, visit burlington.ca/fall. To reach customer service, call 905-335-7738.
Mayor Marianne Meed Ward explains: “Taking this temporary pause now, will allow us to come together sooner. Despite our best efforts, we’re still seeing a steady increase of COVID-19 cases in our city. While this news will be disappointing to many residents, we must keep in mind these are truly extraordinary times and they require extraordinary efforts on all of our parts, as a community, to ensure we slow down the spread of this pandemic. We will beat this, as long as we stay patient, vigilant, and continue following the advice of our medical and health professionals.”
Fred,
You know that it is typical at City Hall that one hand knows not what the other is doing.
Would really like to know how many free masks have been given out as promised by our Council?
Penny, point well taken. Interesting enough my Pilates class was put on hold last Friday by the City , but I received an email from the City this morning reminding me that I am registered for my class and to fill out a pre screening form before I can attend. No wonder people are confused whether to attend or not. I did not.
Fred, just look at what happened at SpinCo in Hamilton ( 72 positive cases and counting, and trans contamination at the Radius Restaurant.). They followed the rules, sanitized, reduced the size of the classes, made participants wear masks in the public areas. BUT they removed their masks when the exercise started. All the sanitizing, and social distancing in the world is never 100% safe.
Participants need to wear masks during their class. If it is not possible, then those classes should not be taking place.
The pause should be evaluated at the Burlington Seniors’Centre as soon as possible by Public Health , the Infection control
procedures are exemplary with on line or in person pre screening for symptoms, wearing of face masks, alcohol sanitation of hands before entering the room, distance of more than 1 meter between participants. With programs such as Pilates and Qigong there is no exertion leading to heavy breathing ; no droplets spread.
I feel very safe participating in indoor programs at the Seniors’Centre. I have 30 years experience in Public Health.
I was led to believe that it was Council that pushed for the opening of the facilities in the summer. With the reduction in people in classes and all the additional cleaning, sanitizing, etc. that was required the cost was astronomical.
Participants were to fill out the online form prior to going to class. They were to take their temperature etc – but I have been told that most did not follow the rules. They then had to line up to get into the building.
At the Senior Centre chairs had a stop and go system in place. What this meant was that if someone sat in a chair and got up they had to put the stop sign on the chair and no one could sit in that seat until it was sanitized by the custodial staff. This system was also in place for the washrooms. So, if the washroom didn’t have someone from the cleaning staff available no one could use the washroom.
I applaud the closure of these facilities at this time to try to reduce the number of Covid 19 cases in the hope that further restrictions are not imposed.
It seems to be necessary to wear masks when participating in these fitness classes etc. to avoid the spread of Covid 19. If it is not possible in some classes to wear masks then those classes should be cancelled.