Outdoor Amenities Closed Following Ontario’s Extended Emergency Order to Curb the Spread of COVID-19

Following the Government of Ontario’s Declaration of Emergency on March 17, 2020, the Town closed all indoor recreational facilities and took steps to close some outdoor recreational amenities such as playgrounds, skate parks and picnic shelters. The Province of Ontario has now issued a new emergency order under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act to close all outdoor recreational amenities, such as sports fields and sports courts, effective immediately. These actions are based on the advice of the Chief Medical Officer of Health. These closures in Halton Hills include all outdoor communal or shared, public or private, recreational amenities. This includes but is not limited to: playgrounds, sports fields, basketball and tennis courts, off-leash dog parks, beaches, skateboard parks, picnic areas, outdoor community gardens, park shelters, outdoor exercise equipment, condo parks and gardens. The Town will be taking immediate action to install additional signage and cordon off, where possible, all public areas identified in the order. We are requesting that the public respect the closures and not remove or damage the measures installed. Green spaces in parks, trails, ravines and conservation areas that are not otherwise closed will remain open for walkthrough access, but individuals must maintain a safe physical distance of at least two metres apart. Ontario's provincial parks and conservation areas remain closed. “We appreciate the public’s cooperation in obeying the park closure signs and respecting the safety tape that has been placed to protect public safety”, says Mayor Rick Bonnette. “Let’s continue to work together and do our part to stop COVID-19 by staying home, practising physical distancing, and avoiding social gatherings”.