Orillia, Ont.’s, COVID-19 waterfront parking and boat launch program begins on Friday, requiring city visitors to pay $50 each time they want to park at the waterfront or launch their boat.
The program, which was also in effect last year, is meant to limit crowds and discourage inter-regional travel amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We have made great strides in the fight against COVID-19 with more people getting vaccinated every day, but we aren’t out of the woods yet,” Orillia Mayor Steve Clarke said in a statement Thursday.
“With the health and safety of everyone visiting our parks top of mind, we have re-implemented the COVID-19 waterfront parking and boat launch program in order to help manage crowding and discourage travel to Orillia as we work through the province’s Roadmap to Reopen.”
The program will be in place on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays until Sept. 12 and will allow Orillia residents and taxpayers to park and launch their boats for free with their resident parking permit.
Parking and launching a boat are free for everyone regardless of residency from Monday to Thursday, with the exception of Canada Day, the Civic Holiday and Labour Day.
The locations included in the program include Couchiching Beach Park, Centennial Park, Veterans’ Memorial Park and J.B. Tudhope Memorial Park lots and surrounding streets, as well as the Couchiching Beach Park and Collins Drive boat launches.
Residents of Oro-Medonte, Severn and Ramara can buy a seasonal permit for Orillia waterfront parks and boat launches from their respective townships for a one-time fee of $50 per vehicle.