In the latest round of eased coronavirus safety restrictions, Mayor Patrick Brown said all parks in Brampton, Ont., will reopen to the public on Thursday.
Brown said reopening parks will include picnic shelters, benches, off-leash dog parks, the White Spruce Park Disc Golf course and skate parks.
However, opening parks does not include the use of playgrounds and play structures, sports field amenities, outdoor fitness equipment, outdoor swimming pools, splash pads, wading pools, washrooms or drinking water systems within the parks.
“As an additional measure, we are actually wrapping plastic fencing around the playground equipment to discourage public use,” Brown said at a weekly briefing on Wednesday.
The mayor admits that Brampton has been one of the last regions in the Greater Toronto Area to reopen parks and that it is due to “taking a very cautious approach.”
“We hesitated because of the higher caseload of the virus in our community,” he said.
Brown said the reopening of parks is based on the advice of public health officials and “understanding the mental health benefit of being out in the fresh air during good weather brings.”
Brown said that although the 500 parks in Brampton will be reopening there will still be strict enforcement for physical distancing.
City staff will also be in high-traffic parks on nights and weekends to engage and educate people on public health measures and signage will be posted, Brown said.
Comments