Playgrounds have been taped off and closed to the public since March 20 to prevent the spread of COVID-19 (Photo: Emily Keller)

By Emily Keller

playgrounds

Grande Prairie area playgrounds opening June 1

May 27, 2020 | 1:18 PM

Playgrounds in the Grande Prairie area will be re-opened on June 1, as part of the area’s regional approach to re-opening through the Grande Prairie Regional Emergency Partnership (GPREP).

The partner municipalities involved in GPREP include the City and County of Grande Prairie, the Towns of Beaverlodge, Wembley, Sexsmith and the Village of Hythe.

It was announced last week that GPREP had begun working with their partners to re-open playgrounds with no official date. Dog parks in the City were also confirmed then to have re-opened.

An update from GPREP was given at Tuesday’s Protective and Social Services Committee meeting, where the plan to re-open playgrounds next week was presented. The City Committee was told that GRPEP will be releasing signage to the various municipalities over the coming days that include guidelines on physical distancing and things such as handwashing. The province has also released a list of guidelines for municipalities for the re-opening of playgrounds.

GPREP also says, in a release, that anyone looking to use the playgrounds in the area needs to follow other guidelines, such as:

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• Stay home if you have flu-like symptoms
• Wear a mask in public places where maintaining 2-meters distance is not possible
• Carry and use hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol content
• Remind children not to touch their eyes, nose, and mouth
• Consider using playgrounds close to home
• Be cautious when using playground equipment and sanitize common touch points
• Use surrounding green space if playground equipment is occupied

GPREP also warns that playground structures will not be sanitized by municipalities.

“It is the responsibility of individual residents to assess the exposure risk a playground poses, and residents are recommended to use proper hand hygiene, physical distancing, and sanitization practices”

GPREP adds that if their guidelines are not being followed, the yellow tape that has been wrapped around area play structures since March 20 could return at any time.

“If risks such as not following physical distancing rules or an increase in COVID-19 cases occurs, playgrounds may be closed again to prevent the spread of COVID-19.”