For the second time in about three-and-a-half months, the Barrhead Registries office has temporarily shut its doors.
In a Facebook post late in the afternoon of Dec. 10, manager Marion Leonard stated that they would be closing at the end of the day.
"In the interest of public safety and responsibility [as part of the new provincially mandated COVID] restrictions, we are closing at the end of the day," she stated. "We will update if any changes. Please be kind. All of us are tired of the struggles and inconvenience with this pandemic. Having said that, we recognize the importance of not spreading COVID and doing our part to be responsible.”
The planned reopening date for the office is Jan. 4.
Later in the post chain, while responding to a complaint about the short notice, Leonard said they were left with little choice.
"We have no control over how this happened. We are now unemployed for several weeks. We cannot serve our valued clients. Please remember we are in the middle of a pandemic and are obligated by law to follow restrictions A little kindness and compassion would be helpful. We are all frustrated," she stated.
A day later, Leonard clarified, once again through a Facebook post that two staff members were identified as a close contact with a person who had tested positive for COVID.
"We were notified late yesterday afternoon and instructed to close the office to the public for safety reasons," she said.
In late August, the registry office closed for more than a week after staff members fell ill with a non-COVID related illness.
The office provides several government-related services such as vehicle registrations, driver licence renewals, issuing raffle licences as well as several vital statistics services such as issuing marriage licences and getting copies of birth and death certificates.
Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com
