Details of Durham Stage 3 reopening from today

Durham is entering Stage 3 reopening today – cautiously, but surely.

Stage 3 means increasing the number of businesses and public spaces that will be able to reopen, while following the public health advice and workplace safety guidance necessary to keep everyone safe.

Following are the details provided by communities across Durham.

City of Pickering

City Hall: Pickering City Hall opens to the general public on Monday, July 27. The city encourages residents to first connect with staff in advance to see if the service request can be completed online or over the phone. Select services will continue to be offered by appointment to ensure efficient service.

Chestnut Hill Developments Recreation Complex: Staff continue to prepare for the reopening of facility. Visitors are encouraged to review preparation details and safety procedures, and look out for future announcements at pickering.ca/recreation.

Health Club (cardio/weight rooms): These amenities will open Tuesday, August 4 for pre-registered 75-minute time slots. Members can book their reservation up to 7 days in advance, and non-members can book 1 day in advance. A dedicated health club space will be available for those 55 years of age and older.

Note that the hours of operation have been reduced to allow for deep cleaning and are now 6 am to 10 pm on weekdays and 7 am to 6 pm on weekends.

In-person fitness classes, indoor racquetball, squash and tennis, indoor swimming pools, and arenas are not yet publicly available.

Outdoor playgrounds: Playgrounds, play structures, and play equipment will be accessible for public use. Please note that equipment is not cleaned or sanitized and the city reminds residents to use at their own risk, practice physical distancing, sanitize hands often, and stay home if sick.

Fall 2020 Programs: Program Registration will tentatively begin on August 18 for Aquatics, and August 20 for Fitness and Leisure. The Fall Leisure Guide will be available August 4. Visit pickering.ca/CityGuide for details.

Pickering Public Library: Curbside pickup is available at the Central and George Ashe Libraries – details are available at picnet.org/curbsideservice. Access to computers and the printers/photocopiers is available at the Central Library. All library drop box locations now accept returns. Future reopening announcements will be made at picnet.org.

New gathering limits

• Indoor gathering limits will increase to a maximum of 50 people.
• Outdoor gathering limits will increase to a maximum of 100 people.
• Social circles should continue to be kept at 10 people, regardless of stage.
• In all cases, individuals are required to continue to maintain physical distancing of at least two metres with people from outside their households or social circles.
• All businesses, services and public spaces when hosting an event are subject to indoor or outdoor gathering limits and ensuring physical distancing can be maintained.
• People at their place of work, including performers and crews, do not count towards gathering limits.

The city reminds residents that mandatory face coverings are required in commercial establishments and all indoor public places, this includes city facilities.

“The City of Pickering continues with the gradual, safe, and measured reopening of municipal facilities and restart of city services and programs. While I look forward to many of our community and local business operations expanding their service capacity, it is critical that we all do our part, and continue to respect public health directives,” said Kevin Ashe, Deputy Mayor.

City of Oshawa

The city will reopen additional outdoor amenities as well as some public buildings for limited use, using a phased approach and ensuring compliance with provincial emergency orders and Durham Region Health guidelines.

Park Play Structures: Effective on Friday, July 24, playground and exercise equipment at city parks will reopen to the public.

Users are reminded to follow heath authority guidelines and government orders. Remember to ensure you and your family practise physical distancing from people outside your household, avoid touching your face, wash your hands after using park equipment and adhere to posted signage.

Sports Fields: Team sports organizations can now resume play provided participants adhere to the Province’s emergency orders, health authority guidelines and follow the guidelines of their governing sport organizations. The city will be accepting sports fields permit applications for team play as of Friday, July 24.

City Hall: As of Monday, August 10, City Hall will reopen to the public for many city services by appointment only. More information on how to book appointments will be announced shortly.

Public health protocols will be implemented, including screening upon entry to City Hall and plexiglass barriers installed at front counters.

Community members requiring in-person service at City Hall will be reminded to:

• Enter and exit through the main entrance (located across from the Robert McLaughlin Gallery and adjacent to the Arts Resource Centre)
• Upon entering, wait to respond to screening questions and provide contact information
• Wear a mask which can be non-medical or face covering (with the exception of those who have health, respiratory and sensory issues, various disabilities; are unable to remove the mask without assistance; and children under the age of two)
• Maintain physical distancing from others and adhere to physical distancing markers
• Follow directional arrows located on the floor
• Use hand sanitizer when entering and exiting the building
• Sign out when exiting the building

Marriage Ceremonies: The city is also booking civil marriage ceremonies at City Hall as of Friday, August 14. Civil marriage ceremonies take place in the Council Chamber and ceremony times are available on Friday afternoons and Saturdays. To learn more, call Service Oshawa at 905-436-3311 or visit www.oshawa.ca/getmarried.

Arenas, Indoor Pools and Fitness Centres: As of Monday, August 10, Delpark Homes Centre and South Oshawa Community Centre will reopen for limited use, including limited use of ice pads, indoor pools and fitness centres at the two recreation facilities.

Additionally, as of Tuesday, August 4, ice at the Tribute Communities Centre will be available for on-ice instruction to specific sport affiliations and organizations with Covid protocols in place for scheduled ice rentals.

Town of Whitby

As part of the Stage 3 reopening, the province announced gathering limits have been increased to the following:

• A maximum of 50 people for indoor gatherings; and,
• A maximum of 100 people for outdoor gatherings.

Safe physical distancing is still required when interacting with individuals outside of your own household or social circle.

“As we enter Stage 3, it’s incumbent upon all of us to continue to be vigilant and keep everyone safe by practicing safe physical distancing, good hand hygiene and following Public Health direction on the wearing of masks,” said Mayor Don Mitchell. “It’s through our collective action that we will support the safe and gradual reopening of our community.”

Here’s what residents need to know as the Town of Whitby begins to reopen its facilities and additional amenities as part of Stage 3:

Connecting with the Town: While we continue to encourage residents to access Town services online, some services will be offered in-person by appointment only starting Tuesday, August 4, including:

• civil marriage ceremonies and licences,
• lottery licensing,
• commissioner of oaths, and
• property tax roll assessment viewings.

As of Monday, July 27, residents wishing to book an appointment for one of these services can visit whitby.ca/appointments. Before entering a town facility, residents will be required to wear a non-medical face mask or covering and complete a health and safety screening.

Many of the town’s services have been moved online in response to Covid and the continued need to practice safe physical distancing. This includes a variety of ways for residents to stay active and connected through virtual programming. To register for a summer camp or program, visit whitby.ca/getactive. For other ideas on how to stay connected virtually, visit whitby.ca/stayingconnected.

For a complete listing of services available online, through email, over the phone or in-person, visit whitby.ca/services.

Playgrounds and Outdoor Fitness Equipment: Municipal playgrounds and playground structures are anticipated to be opened throughout the community on Friday, July 24. Outdoor fitness equipment will also be opened for public use.

A reminder that Whitby’s playground structures are made of high-touch surfaces that can’t be sanitized after each use. Residents are reminded to help keep themselves, their children and others safe by maintaining a safe physical distance of 2 metres (or 6 feet) apart from those living outside of their household or social circle. Residents are also encouraged to bring and use their own hand sanitizer before and after using playground equipment.

Community Centres: The town is currently reviewing when and how it will safely reopen its community centres to the public. Limited space at some Whitby community centres continues to be open for private bookings. Groups interested in booking a space can email facilities@whitby.ca or call 905.668.7765 to learn more about space availability.

Outdoor Sports Fields: Outdoor sports fields will begin to reopen in early-August for game play in alignment with guidelines provided by the Province and provincial sports organizations related to physical distancing and other health and safety measures. No prolonged physical contact between players will be permitted, as required under current provincial guidelines.

Picnic Shelters: Due to continued physical distancing requirements mandated by the province, no permits for the town’s picnic shelters will be granted at this time.

Outdoor events: All of the Town’s in-person events, town-supported events, and third-party permits continue to be cancelled to the end of the summer, up to and including the Harvest Festival on September 19, 2020.

Whitby Public Library: The library continues to offer contactless pickup service at the Central Library, Brooklin Branch and Rossland Branch.

Town of Ajax

The reopening process will be gradual, and the town remains committed to keeping the community informed as we move forward.

Status of Town services and facilities:

• Town playgrounds and exercise equipment stations will begin to open on July 24, starting with community playgrounds (Rotary Park, Carruthers Marsh, McLean Community Centre Park and Audley Recreation Centre Park), then neighbourhood parks and parkettes. Health and Safety Guidelines will be posted at all playgrounds.
• Town Hall remains open, with appointment-only access. Masks are required to access Town Hall.
• Town recreation facilities remain closed until further notice. This includes Ajax Community Centre, McLean Community Centre and Audley Recreation Centre.
• Splash pads, Memorial Pool (outdoor) and the Ajax Library cooling centre remain open.
• Indoor and outdoor permits have been cancelled for the remainder of the summer (Labour Day weekend), unless otherwise arranged.
• Library services including curbside pickup are available at the Audley Recreation Centre location.
• By-Law Services will be resuming complaint-driven parking enforcement activities, and rolling back proactive patrols.

A Business Recovery Plan for the Town will be presented to Council on July 27. The meeting can be viewed online at ajax.ca.

“We are looking forward to restoring our programs and services in a thoughtful way to keep our community safe, and respect our taxpayers. Many services and even some programs and events have moved online, and staff are working hard to maintain excellence in our customer service standards. We look forward to welcoming our residents back, and will continue to keep the community updated,” said Shane Baker, CAO.

“Thank you to each resident and business for doing your part to stop the spread of Covid-19. It is because of these efforts that we are entering into Stage 3. Please continue to adhere to Public Health’s guidelines around physical distancing, hygiene and respect mask requirements as spaces reopen. If staff are cleaning up discarded PPE, they are not focused on reopening. Please be a good neighbour – don’t litter,” added Mayor Shaun Collier.

Quick Facts

• The town is moving in a measured and safe way to reopen facilities and amenities, and to bring back cancelled programming and services, as allowed by the Province’s Framework for Reopening Stage 3 guidelines
• For the duration of Stage 3, gathering allowances have increased to 50 indoors and 100 outdoors
• As playgrounds and other areas with multiple public touch points reopen, the Town reminds residents that they are using these amenities at their own risk. Please maintain physical distance from children and parents outside your circle, and to wash your hands often

Municipality of Clarington

All municipal playgrounds in Clarington will reopen Friday, July 24, except for those under construction.

The municipality will not be sanitizing the equipment, and residents should bring their own hand sanitizer. It is the parent’s or guardian’s responsibility to ensure children practise good hand hygiene and use hand sanitizer before and after touching the equipment.

Parents and guardians are also responsible for supervising their small children and ensuring physical distancing. While at this time, there is no limit on how many children can play on the equipment at one time, Clarington encourages residents to use good judgment. If the playground is busy, wait until there are fewer children present or take turns. If possible, children should wear a mask.

On Friday, July 24, 2020, the municipality will also begin issuing field permits for its sports fields and baseball diamonds. Community organizations who would like to use a field or diamond will need to apply for a permit by calling 905-263-2291 or emailing the Operations Department.

Organizations looking for guidance on the safe return to play can visit Ontario’s website. The resources are available to help Ontarians better understand how to prevent the spread of Covid-19 while training, practicing and competing in sport and recreation activities.

Township of Scugog

Palmer Park will remain closed until after Labour Day. This has been carefully reviewed by Scugog’s Emergency Control Group and it was decided that due to the high number of users in Palmer Park and the challenge to maintain physical distance while on the playground, the playground structure will remain closed at this time.

Residents and users are reminded that playground and fitness equipment within the Township will not be sanitized. Public washroom buildings will also remain closed and portable washrooms will remain available. Residents are encouraged to continue to follow public health officials recommendations; stay home if you are sick or experiencing any symptoms of Covid-19, maintain physical distance of 2 metres (6 feet) from others, not from your household or social circle, avoid touching surfaces, and disinfect hands with sanitizer before and after the use of any playground or fitness equipment, as per the provincial guidelines.

The Township of Scugog continues to monitor the Covid-19 pandemic and all related developments. We know that residents are eager to access all Township amenities and facilities. Reopening plans for other facilities including community halls, recreation and event bookings as well as special events, modified and virtual program options will be phased in. Private recreation groups and clubs will be asked to submit a return to play or return to use health and safety plan so consistent safety measures can be put in place. Specific information regarding each facility reopening and what you can expect will be released in the coming weeks.

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