Red Deer City Manager Allan Seabrooke, seen here speaking Friday evening during the municipality's nightly COVID-19 press conference on Facebook Live. (City of Red Deer)

By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

layoffs "unfortunate"

City says rec facilities closed until June 30, 120 casual staff laid off

Mar 20, 2020 | 6:55 PM

The City of Red Deer says its rec and culture facilities will be closed until at least June 30, 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The closure of these facilities was initially announced on March 16.

They include:

• Collicutt Centre
• G.H. Dawe Community Centre
• Recreation Centre
• Michener Aquatic Centre
• Servus Arena
• Kinsmen Community Arenas
• Kinex Arena
• Setters Place at Great Chief Park
• Intermediate School Site (Culture Services Centre)

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The closures also include all leased spaces within City recreation facilities including food vendors, retail stores, and private recreation providers such as the dance studio and gymnastics centre at the Collicutt Centre. Not included are spaces that have an external public access (i.e. Red Deer Public Library G.H. Dawe branch, Exalta Gymnastics and Red Deer Minor Hockey Association office).

Additionally, the Northside Community Centre is closed to the public, under the direction of The YMCA of Northern Alberta.

“We continue to monitor this ever-evolving situation, and through the Emergency Operations Centre weare making changes and modifications to City operations and policies regularly,” said Karen Mann, Emergency Management Coordinator.

“We know these changes have significant impacts on our employees and citizens, and we thank everyone for their support and understanding as we work to protect our community.”

The closures mean that registration for programs is suspended up to June 30, but the City will take registrations through Look ‘n Book for those beginning July 1 and onward.

The City also revealed Friday evening via it’s nightly Facebook Live press conference that it has laid off approximately 120 casual staff.

These workers typically contribute up to 20 hours weekly, City Manager Allan Seabrooke noted.

“We are doing everything we can to support these employees. There was notice provided to these employees, we are providing all the necessary paperwork, and providing them guidance on how to apply for EI,” he said.

“We have processes in place for our casual workers to be recalled once we get through this process. They have not lost their job; it is simply an interruption. We look forward to calling them back to doing the valuable work they do in our community.”

Seabrooke said these staff will receive the same rate of pay they were previously getting when they are rehired (Note: added Saturday)

He added that the City plans to take advantage of the closures and move their annual fall maintenance of rec facilities up to this spring.

Also asked why June 30, it was said that the City based its decision off guidance from the province.

City staff were also questioned about the possibility of a ban on using playgrounds. On Friday, the Grande Prairie Regional Emergency Partnership (GPREP), which is comprised of six municipalities, enacted such a measure.

Seabrooke said the City wasn’t aware of the decision by GPREP, but will look into that possibility.