As part of the province's reopening plan, Premier Brian Pallister announced that outdoor recreation sites such as playgrounds, skate parks and golf courses would be allowed to open on Monday, May 4.
As a division, we wanted to ensure the reopening of outdoor recreational sites on school division property is done safely, which is why we have been in constant communication with government officials about protocols we can put in place to minimize risk.
The Chief Public Health Officer of Manitoba has just advised school divisions that there are no specific requirements for cleaning outdoor play structures. Based on this information, playgrounds and recreational spaces in the division will no longer be off limits to individuals as of Thursday, May 14.
This easing of existing restrictions still requires a minimum distance of two metres between individuals (who are not part of a single family), limiting groups to less than 10 people and washing/sanitizing hands before and following the use of play equipment. These signs in English and French will be posted at our playgrounds in the coming days.
We want to reiterate that playgrounds remain high-touch areas and, with warm weather on the way, may become crowded, making social distancing difficult. We encourage you to make informed decisions about returning to these recreational areas.
While we continue to maintain these areas during the indefinite suspension of classes, we are unable to monitor them to ensure social distancing or the adherence to other Manitoba Public Health guidelines. In the event you do see behaviour that is not following the guidelines, we encourage you to contact 311.
- Christian Michalik, Superintendent
