At the June 22, 2020 Regular City Council meeting, City Council finalized the dates for City of Wetaskiwin recreation facilities, including the Manluk Centre to reopen.
This decision was made after the province launched Phase 2 of Alberta’s COVID-19 reopening plans and moved recreation facilities such as gyms and pools up to Phase 2 from Phase 3.
Although reopening these facilities, new procedures and protocols will be in place to limit the potential spread of COVID-19. Some of these protocols include hiring more part time staff to ensure that all high-touch areas in recreation facilities such as the Manluk Centre are being sanitized frequently, and designating social distancing monitors to regulate that guests stay properly distanced from one another.
For the Manluk fitness centre, this distance would increase from the provincially mandated two metres apart to three metres apart. All fitness equipment will be spaced a minimum of three metres apart as is recommended to reduce contact during anaerobic exercise.
To ensure that all equipment is properly spaced out, the fitness centre will be extended into the De Goeij Family Multi-purpose Room.
Social distance monitors will be present in the Manluk aquatic centre as well. These monitors do not have the authority to distribute fines as regulated by AHS, however will have the authority to ask Manluk facility guests to leave if they are not cooperating with the social distance requirements.
The reopening dates for the remaining City of Wetaskiwin facilities are:
• June 29: Sports field and multi-plex
• July 6: Rentals open for Drill Hall, Memorial Arts Centre, and By-the-Lake Park Hall
• July 13: In-person customer service at City Hall resumes; Summer Day Camps and outdoor fitness classes resume
• July 24: Manluk Fitness Centre opens
• July 31: Manluk Aquatic Centre opens
• August 24: Ice arenas (Civic Centre) opens
Early estimates show a net budget loss of approximately $115, 000 due to this timeline of re-opening. However, Council decided to fund this from a reserve and not from the tax base.
shaela.dansereau@pipestoneflyer.ca
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