All of Cranbrook’s playgrounds, playing court, and some specific outdoor recreation spaces like the Cranbrook Skate Park and BMX Park were closed back on March 24th, yet residents are still visiting or congregating in the areas.
The full closures implemented on March 24th include:
- All playground structures, and all other play equipment in all City-owned parks and spaces
- Tennis and pickleball courts
- All public washroom facilities
- Cranbrook Skate Park
- BMX Park
The closures are temporary but remain in effect until further notice as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Our staff have been getting calls regularly about people still using the BMX park, the skateboard park and a number of our sports fields and ball diamonds for pickup games and practices,” said Chris Zettel, Communications Officer with the City of Cranbrook. “We are pleading with people to please obey the orders in place and I’m asking parents to please talk to your kids about not gathering in these spaces with their friends. These spaces are closed for a reason.”
The Cranbrook Community Forest, Idlewild Park, Elizabeth Lake, Rotary Trail, the NorthStar Rails to Trails and the Muriel Baxter Off-Leash Dog Park remain open to the public at this time, but Zettel is imploring residents to maintain physical distancing.
“Just because these spaces remain open, it is not an invitation for people to congregate in groups which goes completely against all of the orders made by the provincial health officer,” said Zettel. “This type of stuff isn’t acceptable and we’re really pleading with people, obey the orders.”
Zettel told MyEastKootenayNow.com that additional closures may be necessary if people don’t respect the two-metre distance between one another or continue to gathering in large groups.
“If all of the users continue to observe and obey that social distancing as required by the province, these spaces will stay open but if we keep seeing things going on and in areas we’ve closed, we will have to have a very serious look at making further closures.”