With Eastern Ontario entering Stage 3 of reopening as of last Friday, July 17, many recreation and culture services will be available to the public, as long as physical distancing requirements are maintained.
Notably, Stage 3 of the reopening plan includes increasing gathering limits to a maximum of 50 people indoors and 100 people outside. As a result, North Grenville is working closely with groups and individuals to ensure a safe return to recreation facilities.
The following is a list of what will reopen and when, and what remains closed:
Reopenings:
Sports fields: Municipal sports fields are open for use and local teams are required to comply with the public gathering limit of 100 outside, and ensure a 2-metre distance
Splash Pad at e-Quinelle Park: The splash pad continues to operate daily from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Staff are on site and residents are asked to follow the posted rules and regulations to help protect the health and safety of everyone.
Play structures and portable toilets: All playgrounds in North Grenville opened Friday, July 17. Portable toilets will also be installed at Riverside Park and Curry Park. They will be cleaned daily. Play structures and park equipment will not be sanitized, so individuals and families are encouraged to bring their own hand sanitizer.
North Grenville Municipal Centre Arenas: Arena 2 will be now be open for use beginning August 4, 2020. Arena 1 is expected to open on September 11, 2020. The Municipality will follow return-to-play guidelines set out by provincial sport organizations and will also develop its own internal safety protocols for users of the facility.
The arena lobby area will continue to be used as a Cooling Centre when temperatures are 31c or higher until August 4, 2020.
What remains closed:
Kemptville Pool: The community pool will remain closed for the 2020 season. The physical design and limitations of the community pool do not allow for social distancing measures, and the municipality is unable to meet public health protocols as stipulated by the Lanark, Leeds and Grenville Public Health Unit.
Theatre and Suites: The Municipality is seeking further clarification from the province on capacity limitations. For now, we are unable to rent out the theatre or hall suites until we have more information from Public Health. We will provide more details of any changes.
The Municipality of North Grenville continues to put the health and safety of all residents and visitors first. We thank the community for their patience as we move cautiously into Stage 3. The Municipality of North Grenville closed all recreational facilities under Provincial order in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the exception of trails and green spaces. At this time, the Department of Parks, Recreation and Culture is operating with reduced staffing. As part of our response measures for the pandemic, the municipality was unable to hire summer student teams. Some full time staff have also been re-deployed to fill gaps where needed. We appreciate the public’s patience.
For more information on Recreational Guidelines during COVID-19, please visit www.northgrenville.ca/coronavirus.
