WINNIPEG -- The City of Winnipeg is reopening more of its services and facilities as Phase Two of Manitoba’s reopening continues.
The city announced bookings for its athletics fields will begin on Friday.
Jaw Shaw, assistant manager of the emergency operations centre, said at a news conference on Friday that priority will be given to existing athletic field permit holders whose permits were temporarily suspended due to the pandemic.
“As part of the Athletic Field Booking Agreement, organizations will be agreeing to follow provincial health orders required for their sports to operate and the City of Winnipeg orders regarding social distancing,” he said.
Shaw added the city will be opening three libraries this coming Monday for holds-pickup service only. The three facilities that will open are Millennium, Henderson, and Pembina Trail libraries.
“To continue reintroducing more library and recreation programs, the community service ambassador program will cease operations effective Saturday, June 6,” Shaw said.
“The program was initially introduced on April 11, whereby redeployed staff in the community services department provided information on COVID-19 in an effort to encourage voluntary compliance of public health orders, as well as city orders in city parks.”
Shaw said as the province continues to loosen its restrictions, it’s been determined that these workers can return to their department and begin working on plans to reopen libraries and recreation. Bylaw enforcement officers will continue to enforce city orders in city parks.
The city has also opened up 19 of its 21 stand-alone spray pads.
“We are reminding residents that the use of spray pads is at your own risk,” Shaw said.
“The city will not be sanitizing spray pads and on-site washrooms will not be available for use. Social distancing is still required and individuals must maintain a distance of at least two metres from every other individual. However, this does not apply to people who can demonstrate they are living together in the same household.”
