Newmarket temporarily closes outdoor rinks, suspends tobogganing

The Town of Newmarket is seeking clarification from the province regarding the activities during the state of emergency; Trails, parks, and playgrounds remain open

Newmarkettoday.ca
Jan. 14, 2021

The Province of Ontario recently declared a state of an emergency and issued a stay-at-home order requiring everyone to remain at home with exceptions for essential purposes, such as going to the grocery store or pharmacy, accessing health care services, for exercise or for essential work. This order will be in effect as of Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021 at 12:01 a.m. Details of the new regulations have not been released by the Province of Ontario.

As we seek further clarification and interpret the available information to the best of our ability, the Town will be temporarily closing all closing all outdoor skating and community rinks, as well as suspending tobogganing for the next 48 hours. More information will be provided when it becomes available.

Newmarket trails, parks and playgrounds will remain open and residents are encouraged to use them while following all health and safety measures as outlined by the Province. Residents are reminded to wear a face mask or covering when in enclosed public spaces or when physical distancing of at least 6ft./2m. is not possible (indoor and outdoor) and wash your hands frequently.

"The next 28 days are going to be extremely difficult as we try to unite as a community and bring down the COVID-19 numbers by adhering to the new regulations, " says Mayor John Taylor. "As difficult as it will be we all must make our strongest effort possible to avoid close contact with others and adhere to the guidelines. The new data tells us that our seniors' lives are at stake and our hospitals could be overwhelmed -- this is not an effort to scare people it is quite simply what the data is telling us.

"However, we also know that we must stay active and healthy both physically and mentally and that is why I continue to encourage people to get outdoors daily on our trails and in our parks. Our Council would like to provide opportunities to be active, especially for our children, but we feel at this time that the direction on skating and tobogganing is not clear and for that reason we are suspending those activities for 48 hours while we seek clarity from the Province.

"Please respect our bylaw officers and work with us as we try to work our way through another difficult time. A united community is a strong community -- and Newmarket is a strong community!".

During the state of emergency and stay-at-home orders, indoor organized public events and social gatherings are not permitted, except with members of the same household. Outdoor organized public events or social gatherings are limited to a maximum of five people so that individuals and families can enjoy time outdoors safely.

The Newmarket Public Library remains open for contactless curbside pickup. No in-person services will be available at this time. Learn more by visiting newmarketpl.ca

Indoor and outdoor dining remains prohibited and take-out and delivery options are permitted. Retail stores can operate for curbside pick-up and delivery between the hours of 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., with some exceptions. The Town strongly urges the community to continue to shop local and support local businesses through curbside pick-up, online shopping, take-out and delivery options and by purchasing gift cards when possible. Please visit newmarket.ca/ChooseLocal for more info.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Town has been continuously adapting our business practices in alternative ways so that we can continue to serve the community during these challenging times. For more information on how to access these services, residents can call our Customer Service associates from Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 905-895-5193 or by emailing info@newmarket.ca. For after-hours service, please call 905-895-5193 and press 3.