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Vancouver to delay opening outdoor pools, leave swimming beaches unguarded amid COVID-19

Click to play video: 'Thousands of warning tickets issued for park crowding'
Thousands of warning tickets issued for park crowding
The sunny weather brought huge crowds to parks and beaches, along with thousands of warnings to keep a safe distance from each other. Aaron MacArthur reports – May 12, 2020

The opening of Vancouver’s outdoor pools and the presence of lifeguards at city beaches have been delayed amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Vancouver Park Board says five outdoor pools, which normally open on the May long weekend, will continue to be shuttered and lifeguards will not patrol nine city beaches as it waits for revised guidelines from Lifesaving Society Canada on how to support swimmers at both and beaches during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Click to play video: 'Fears weekend of sunshine will set B.C. back on social distancing'
Fears weekend of sunshine will set B.C. back on social distancing

In the meantime, signage will be posted at beaches to notify swimmers that they enter the water at their own risk.

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Earlier this week, the park board announced it had delayed plans to reopen parking lots at beaches and parks after Vancouver park rangers issued nearly 1,900 warnings about physical distancing last weekend.

City tennis and pickleball courts began reopening over the weekend with new precautions to protect against COVID-19.

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