Red Deer recreation facilities to begin reopening next week

Shelley Gagnon, Manager of Recreation, Parks and Culture, says one of the biggest differences users will see when they return to facilities is how access is controlled.

“Access will be offered through pre-booked, pre-registered, or even designated public access times – for example, a designated swimming time,” she explained during a noon hour news conference. “This is to ensure that we can meet the public health guidelines for indoor gatherings.”

Gagnon says users can also expect to see adjusted or reduced operating hours at facilities once they reopen.

Outdoor sports fields in Red Deer are already open for casual use.

City officials continue to work with organized sports groups on what they need in order to offer their respective programs.

“These groups book space in our facilities and we anticipate having space available for their use including ice, dry space and pools, by July 6,” The City says in a release.

The City will also be offering outdoor fitness programming in early July.

The tentative timeline for amenity openings is as follows:

• June 24 – Community bookings will open for sports fields, picnic shelters and bookable park spaces including Great Chief Park, Setters Place, Bower Ponds Stage will start. The Lindsay Thurber track and field amenities will also be available for bookings.

• Mid-July:

o Collicutt Centre – Fitness areas, access to the track and use of the field house will be available for controlled, limited access. The City also expects to have the pool open, primarily for swimming lessons and public swimming.

o G.H. Dawe Community Centre – The pool is expected to be open, primarily for swimming lessons and public swimming. The gymnasium will open for controlled, limited access. Fitness areas will not open immediately.

o Michener Aquatic Centre –The pool is expected to be available for controlled, limited lane swimming and some aquatic fitness.

The following third party-operated facilities have been given permission to reopen while following all provincial health requirements and guidelines. Users are asked to contact them directly for operating information:

• River Bend Golf and Recreation Area
• Enduro Mountain Bike Park
• Lions Campground
• Red Deer Tennis Club
• Red Deer Pickleball Club
• Red Deer BMX
• Bower Ponds Pavilion
• Red Deer Museum + Art Gallery
• Kerry Wood Nature Centre
• Norwegian Laft Hus
• Heritage Square
• Cronquist House
• Fort Normandeau
• Neighbourhood Activity Centres
• YMCA Northside Community Centre
• Great West Adventure Park
• Heritage Ranch
• Festival Hall
• Memorial Centre
• Edgar Athletic Fields

Spray parks, including Kin Canyon, Discovery Canyon and Blue Grass Sod Farm Central Spray and Play, remain closed while officials look at how they can be reopened while adhering to public health orders and restrictions.

“Currently, outdoor gatherings are limited to no more than 100 people, so we’re working to determine how to manage these restrictions while still providing access and will have more information to share in the coming weeks,” Gagnon explains.

Stage 2 of Alberta’s Relaunch Strategy from the COVID-19 pandemic, which commenced on June 12 after being moved ahead by one week, allows for the reopening of municipal recreation facilities subject to public health guidelines.

However, Mayor Tara Veer says that because the reopening of indoor facilities originally expected for Stage 3, The City needs more time to get staff back in place to operate Red Deer’s amenities. More than 300 casual staff were either laid off or saw their work interrupted by shutdowns due to COVID-19.

“Our absolute goal at The City of Red Deer is to see a return to normal community life as much as possible,” Veer said Thursday.

by Troy Gillard

Red Deer recreation facilities to begin reopening next week

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