COLD LAKE – Families in Cold Lake will be able to get some fresh air at city-owned parks.
The city announced on May 21 outdoor parks and playgrounds, including the skatepark, are open for public use under the provincial government’s COVID-19 restrictions.
“The government’s guidelines allow for the safe opening of outdoor play structures and this will require responsible participation from the public, along with the realization that you can use these facilities, but at your own risk. They are not being sanitized,” Mayor Craig Copeland said in a press release. “The Government of Alberta’s COVID-19 response is necessarily fluid, and we are monitoring the restrictions carefully to ensure the public’s safety while limiting closures to those deemed necessary.”
There’s currently a limit of 50 people for outdoor gatherings and physical distancing is still in place, which requires people not from the same household to remain at least two metres apart.
Signage stating the facilities are closed will be removed in the coming days, and the city noted it could take some time to replace the signage with the updated information at different locations.
Other outdoor recreational facilities, including tennis and pickleball courts, are still closed. The city plans to open them once they have a better understanding of the restrictions in place by the province.
“We are grateful for the Government of Alberta’s leadership and, most importantly, we are grateful for the patience and restraint that our residents and all Albertans have shown in these unprecedented times,” Copeland said. “Our goal is to follow the Government of Alberta’s lead in providing for the safety of the public, and also in allowing for life to return to normal as soon as the COVID-19 restrictions permit.”
