What provincewide shutdown means to city of Richmond Hill

Starting Dec. 28, library locations will only be open for pre-booked, curbside pickup and external drop box returns

Yorkregion.com
Dec. 23, 2020
Sheila Wang

Residents in Richmond Hill are expected to hunker down longer after the holiday season.

The city, as well as the rest of Southern Ontario, will remain in lockdown until at least Jan. 23, 2021, Premier Doug Ford said on Dec. 21.

Richmond Hill was previously placed under lockdown for 28 days, starting Dec. 14.

“The number of daily cases of COVID-19 is on the rise and the shutdown is intended to stop the increase in cases, preserve health system capacity and safeguard vulnerable residents along with those who care for them,” Mayor Dave Barrow said in a statement on Dec. 21.

There have been 1,795 confirmed COVID-19 cases with a death toll of 13 in Richmond Hill, as of Dec. 21, according to York Region Public Health.

Here are a list of cancellations and closures that went into effect on Dec. 14 in Richmond Hill:

• Recreational swimming will be cancelled and pools closed

• Winter break adventure programs are cancelled

• In-person drop-in recreation programs are cancelled

• Registration for in-person Winter 2021 recreation programs is paused

• All community centres will be closed

• Tom Graham and Ed Sackfield arenas will be closed (except to high performance athletes, including parasport athletes in accordance with provincial regulations)

• Blackmore Tennis Club will be closed

• All in-person AMPS (Administrative Monetary Penalty System) hearings will be cancelled

Additionally, starting Dec. 28, library locations will only be open for pre-booked, curbside pickup and external drop box returns. A variety of services, including ebooks, programs and more, remain available online. Visit the library website for current branch hours and the latest updates.

Mayor Barrow said many of measures announced on Dec. 21 have already been put in place in York region. They include:

• Restricting indoor organized public events and social gatherings, except with members of the same household. Individuals who live alone may consider having exclusive close contact with one other household.

• Prohibiting in-person shopping in most retail settings -- curbside pickup and delivery can continue. Discount and big box retailers selling groceries will be limited to 25 per cent capacity for in-store shopping. Supermarkets, grocery stores and similar stores that primarily sell food, as well as pharmacies, will continue to operate at 50 per cent capacity of in-store shopping.

• Restricting indoor access to shopping malls. Patrons may only go to a designated indoor pickup area (by appointment only), essential retail stores that are permitted to be open (e.g. pharmacy or grocery stores), or to the food court for takeout purchases. Shopping malls may also establish outdoor designated pickup areas.

• Prohibiting indoor and outdoor dining. Restaurants, bars and other food or drink establishments will be permitted to operate by takeout, drive-thru and delivery only.

• Online leaning only for elementary schools from Jan. 4 to 8, with emergency child care for health-care and front-line workers.

The province has also announced a new small business support grant of $10,000 to $20,000 for eligible businesses.

For more information and updates about COVID-19 and affected city services, visit RichmondHill.ca/COVID19.