ATHABASCA — With COVID-19 restrictions slowly being lifted around the province, some are glad to take what little sense of normalcy they can, while others are still waiting patiently for facilities to reopen.
On March 9, the Alberta government announced Step 2 of the provincial reopening was in full force and that more restrictions were being lifted in preparation for moving to Step 3, which will be determined March 22, if these new rules show no sign of an increase in cases.
"The situation is changing and we need to change along with it," health minister Tyler Shandro said at a March 9 press briefing. "We said that we'd complete Step 2 when it was safe to do so, and I believe that it now is.”
Alberta Health Services (AHS) said stores and malls will be allowed to increase their capacity from 15 to 25 per cent of fire code, and youth sports training and activities will be allowed to resume with up to 10 participants, including coaching staff and trainers, with masks still being mandatory except during actual training. Restrictions are also being eased for child, youth and adult performances, including singing, theatre and the playing wind instruments, following the same restrictions as youth sports.
“We are not yet in the clear,” Alberta’s chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw said at the same press conference. “Each time we ease restrictions, we increase opportunity for COVID-19 to spread if we do not follow the important preventative measures in place for each activity.”
Locally, the Athabasca Regional Multiplex (ARM) is not opening yet, said Athabasca County CAO Ryan Maier, who is the interim manager of the facility. The Westlock Aquatic Centre opened March 8, and the Rotary Spirit Centre opened March 15 with many conditions still in place. Barrhead is waiting even longer to open up the Agrena until Stage 4 of the Moving Forward Safely relaunch plan.
“The greatest demands we have received from the public to this point has been to reopen the fitness centre, so they can resume working out,” Maier said in a March 12 email. “Unfortunately, that is still prohibited unless people attend one-on-one training with a professional.”
He added the ARM committee is exploring the potential to offer low intensity exercise programs and hopes to have more information next week, but that for now they have decided not to open the pool.
“The reason for this is the limited amount of activities that can currently occur under the AHS guidelines. For example, to have an Aquafit class, participants would be required to keep a three-metre distance and remain masked at all times throughout the activity,” Maier said. “We have to consider all the taxpayers in the region in our return to activity and balance the needs to be open with the fiscal realities.”
He noted during a regular year ARM operates at approximately 30 per cent cost recovery, but with so many activities severely limited due to the pandemic the financial impacts become even greater.
“We understand the desire of people to use the facility again, but it has to make some sense from an operational perspective,” he said. “We can’t even offer individual activities such as lane swim at this time, as it is considered “high intensity” by AHS.”
For now, the Multiplex will continue to host the Farmers’ Market every second Saturday, EPC physical education and minor ball training on the hockey arena floor, all following the AHS guidelines.
“We are hopeful that a move to Step 3 will be considered as early as March 22,” Maier said. “However, we haven’t been given any indication at this time as to what would be permitted in a move to Step 3, as the Government of Alberta only states ‘Further easing of youth sport and recreation activities’ on its website, but doesn’t include any details.”
ARM is also looking for its second general manager since Jennifer Edworthy left the position in February after only starting four months earlier, replacing Kelsea Brown.
“We will continue to monitor and assess the ever-changing restrictions and may add further activities, potentially even prior to a move to Step 3. We will keep the public apprised as these changes occur,” Maier said. “Regarding the new GM search, we are hoping to have an announcement in the near future.”
Municipal offices
The Town of Athabasca office is currently open to the public with a limit on how many can be in the lobby at a time, said CAO Rachel Ramey.
“We are only allowing two in at a time, again,” she said. “Council hasn’t made the decision to go back to in-person meetings yet.”
Athabasca County will reopen their office to the public after Easter, starting April 6, and Family and Community Support Services will launch staggered in-person services through appointments and pre-registration.
