COVID-19 Update: Campgrounds, Waterfront Washrooms and Other Reminders

As part of Stage 2 of the Province’s COVID-19 restart plans, the City of Greater Sudbury continues to develop plans for the safe reopening of additional municipal amenities.

“It’s officially summer, and it’s refreshing to see our hard work continue to pay off with the reopening of more outdoor amenities,” said Greater Sudbury Mayor Brian Bigger. “But with three new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in our community in the past week, it’s a strong reminder that the virus is still a threat and we must continue to be safe and smart. Wash your hands often, keep your distance from others not in your permitted social circle and follow Public Health’s advice to wear a non-medical mask where physical distancing is not possible. Let’s make this summer a safe and healthy one.”

Waterfront Washroom Access
Washroom facilities at the following waterfront areas will be open to the public from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, beginning Friday, June 26:
• Bell Park Main Beach
• Capreol Public Beach (portable washrooms)
• Kalmo Beach
• Meatbird Lake Park
• Moonlight Beach
• Nepawhin Lake Park
• Whitewater Lake Park

Washrooms will be maintained by Parks Services staff, in line with the Cleaning and Disinfection for Public Settings guidelines set out by Public Health Ontario. The guidelines can be found here: www.publichealthontario.ca/-/media/documents/ncov/factsheet-covid-19-environmental-cleaning.pdf?la=en

Campgrounds
Municipal campgrounds at Ella Lake, Whitewater Lake and Centennial Park will open on Saturday, June 27. Campground operators will contact existing seasonal campers to schedule an arrival appointment to move onto the campsite. Campers are advised NOT to arrive without an appointment, or outside of the time of their scheduled arrival appointment.

Seasonal campers will also be contacted by Leisure Services by email, or phone in some cases, regarding payment arrangements, fees and campground operating guidelines, including current COVID-19 protocols.

For more information on campgrounds, visit www.greatersudbury.ca/play/campgrounds-and-trailer-parks/

Downtown Parking
Fees for on-street parking will resume July 2, including all metered parking downtown. Enforcement will resume on July 6, following a one-week transition period.

Enforcement at the 13 downtown municipal parking lots remains on hold until September. For lot locations, visit www.greatersudbury.ca/parking.

Animal Shelter
In line with provincial reopening of services, the City has been in contact with partner veterinarians to ensure support for services such as spay and neuter, and expects to resume animal pickups and receipt of surrendered animals by July 1. Services at the shelter continue to be offered by appointment only.

The shelter temporarily stopped accepting healthy stray and community cats or the surrender of dogs or cats from owners to ensure the safety of residents and staff, and in response to limitations of veterinary services.

Pools
Due to the extensive COVID-19-related safety protocols that must be in place before pools can safely reopen, and traditional low usage of these facilities during the summer months, the R. G. Dow, Gatchell, Nickel District, Onaping and Howard Armstrong Recreation Centre pools will remain closed until at least September 7. Further updates will be shared closer to that date.

Splash pads
Thirteen of the City’s 14 splash pads are now open. The remaining location will open on Friday, June 26. Visit www.greatersudbury.ca/play/recreational-facilities/splash-pads/ to check the status of the splash pad before attending

Splash pads are unsupervised water play areas, and parents/guardians must supervise their children at all times. These amenities are not sanitized and users are reminded to wash or sanitize their hands well before and after use, and maintain a distance of two metres from others.

Bookings at Outdoor Fields
Local sports association teams can book play fields at James Jerome Sports Complex (soccer) and Terry Fox Sports Complex (baseball) beginning the week of June 29.

As mandated under provincial orders, fields can only be used for training or instructional sessions, which adhere to physical distancing and group sizes of no more than 10. No scrimmages or games are permitted. Sports organizations are required to ensure they are following all mandated provincial orders and Public Health guidelines for their activities. For more information, call Parks Services at 705-674-4455, extension 4578.

Reminders: Parks, Fields, Beaches and Open Spaces
Parks, beaches, trails, sports fields and other recreational areas and open spaces are open, and group and physical distancing requirements remain in effect. These areas will be maintained to ensure public safety, but services may be delayed. This means grass cutting, garbage cleanup and other general maintenance activities may take longer than usual.

No lifeguard supervision is available at municipal beaches. Rescue equipment will be placed at beaches, however, residents who choose to swim will do so at their own risk. Daily inspections, such as water safety checks, will not occur. Water quality testing will continue by Public Health.

Reminders: Cancelled and Closed Services
• Playgrounds, play structures and outdoor fitness equipment remain closed under provincial orders.
• Due to continued provincial restrictions on indoor recreational group activities, community centres and field houses remain closed to the public until further notice.
• As a result of the cancellation of the summer student program, museums will remain closed for the summer and all City-run summer camps and programs are cancelled, including neighbourhood playground programs.

Reminders: Safety Precautions
• As of June 12, the permitted size for a social gathering has increased from five people to 10. Physical distancing rules remain in effect and residents must stay two metres away from people who are not part of their household. To report violations, call 311.
• City by-law officers and contracted security will patrol the use of municipal spaces, and signage will be in place to remind users of rules.
• Where there are concerns that people are not practising physical distancing, or where the number of users creates a situation where it is not manageable, the City will further review and implement changes.
• Public Health recommends you wear a non-medical mask as an added step to protect others when physical distancing is challenging or not possible, even if you have no symptoms of COVID-19.

For COVID-19 updates and information related to City services, visit www.greatersudbury.ca/covid, or find us on social media at www.facebook.com/GreaterSudbury and www.twitter.com/GreaterSudbury.

For the most up-to-date local information on COVID-19, visit the Public Health Sudbury & Districts website at www.phsd.ca/coronavirus.