Municipalities across the Island open outdoor recreation facilities in time for the long weekend

Municipalities across the Island open outdoor recreation facilities in time for the long weekend
SEAPARC / Facebook
The bike park at SEAPARC is one of the outdoor rec facilities opening up on May 14 on the Island

Just in time for the long weekend, outdoor recreation facilities opened up across the CRD and Nanaimo starting Thursday.

In Greater Victoria, four outdoor facilities reopened in the district’s four rec centres. Panorama Recreation Centre, Greenglade Community Centre, Sooke and Electoral Area Parks and Recreation Commission (SEAPARC), and Salt Spring Island Parks and Recreation Commission (SSI PARC) will open starting facilities on May 14.

In Nanaimo, Sport Courts and the Huxley Skate Park opened on Thursday, and the Cedar Skate Park will open one week later on May 21.

Starting May 15, Central Saanich will re-open sports courts, including tennis, pickleball, and basketball courts.

Signage will be posted in the facilities in both the CRD and Nanaimo, to remind everyone to maintain a physical distance as well as other guidelines to follow.

“Users are expected to continue to adhere to public health guidelines of maintaining 2 metres of physical distance, no sharing of equipment, practicing good hand hygiene, and staying home if sick,” said the CRD in a press release.

Nanaimo released a specific list of rules for all who wish to use the outdoor facilities.

  • Stay home if you are showing any signs of illness
  • Wash or sanitize hands before and after use
  • Practice physical distancing, even at play: keep at least 2m (6 ft) distance at all times from anyone outside your household
  • Do not share equipment and clean your equipment before and after play
  • Do not gather in large groups

In the CRD, registration for summer camps and programs is currently open only for Panorama Recreation camps and programs. At SEAPARC, DeMamiel Creek Golf Course previously opened on May 1 with additional precautions.

In Nanaimo, playgrounds and indoor facilities, such as recreation centres, arenas and pools, remain closed pending reopening guidelines that are currently being worked on by health officials.

Outdoor sport and recreation facilities have been closed in Nanaimo and the CRD since mid-March, to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

Information about further reopening of the recreation facilities are expected to be released at a later date.

Rebecca LawrenceRebecca Lawrence

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