By rdnewsNOW staff

Set For Relaunch

Ponoka preparing to reopen facilities during phase 2 of Alberta relaunch

Jun 12, 2020 | 10:07 AM

As Phase 2 of Alberta’s economic relaunch begins today, the Town of Ponoka is planning and preparing to reopen Town facilities – including the Town Office and recreational facilities.

Phase 2, allows municipalities to finalize and begin implementing plans to reopen facilities that were moved up from Phase 3 to Phase 2 of the Relaunch Strategy.

The planning process includes assessing and implementing the guidelines that were released with the Phase 2 announcement this week, and determining the most feasible timelines and conditions for reopening facilities.

“Safety remains our top priority. says Albert Flootman, Chief Administrative Officer for the Town of Ponoka, in a press release. “We are working hard to put a plan in place that balances our desire to reopen Town facilities as soon as reasonably possible while also carefully planning how to best implement provincial health orders and directives in order to protect the health and safety of the public and our employees, and to prevent the spread of COVID-19.”

Exact dates and details about the reopening of recreation facilities such as the Splash Park, Aquaplex and Arena will be provided soon.

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The following outdoor recreation facilities are already open for public use: sports fields, the Outdoor Rink facility at the Ponoka Arena, public playgrounds, tennis courts, Hamilton’s Skate Park and the outdoor fitness park located across from the Scout Hall on 46A Street Close.

The Town Office, located on the second floor of the Ponoka Civic Centre, will also reopen to the public as part of Phase 2.

“We had initially planned to reopen the Town Office on June 19, which was the original date forecast for Phase 2 to begin,” adds Flootman. “However, when the Alberta government moved that date a week earlier, we accelerated our plans to reopen on Monday, June 15 instead.”

Town officials say administration is busy implementing numerous health and safety measures prior to reopening to the public, including the installation of a glass ‘sneeze guard’ barrier at the Town Office reception desk.

Visitors to the Town Office will be required to use available hand sanitizer upon entering the building, follow physical distancing requirements, and sign in at reception to ensure contact information is available for notification purposes should an outbreak occur.

Visitors are also urged to stay home if they have flu-like symptoms such as fever, cough, runny nose, sore throat or shortness of breath; if they travelled outside of Canada in the last 14 days; or if they have been in close contact with a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19.

Increased cleaning and sanitizing measures will be implemented at the Town Office upon reopening with a careful focus on high-touch surfaces like door handles and hand railings in accordance with public health recommendations.

Citizens are encouraged to continue doing business with the Town by phone, fax and email where ever possible.

Citizens can contact the Town by phone at 403-783-4431, by email at town@ponoka.ca, or by fax at 403-783-6745.

Office hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Residents are also encouraged to make bill payments using the following options:

• Online payment through your bank.
• Payment by credit card using the credit card slip payment form at www.ponoka.ca or by phoning 403- 783-4431.
• Mail in bill payments to the Town of Ponoka at 200, 5604-50 St. Ponoka, T4J 1G5.

The Ponoka Jubilee Library currently remains closed to the public and is offering a curbside pickup service. The Library is preparing to reopen in the near future.

For more details about the Library’s curbside pickup program, please visit the Library website at www.ponokalibrary.prl.ab.ca or phone the Library at 403-783-3843.

For more information on Alberta’s Relaunch Strategy, please visit alberta.ca/alberta-relaunch-strategy.aspx.

For the most up-to-date information on the reopening of Town facilities and the Town of Ponoka’s response to COVID-19, please visit the Town website at www.ponoka.ca.

If you have questions, please phone the Town Office at 403-783-4431.

For more information on how you can help protect yourself and others against the spread of COVID-19, please visit www.alberta.ca/COVID19.