City workers cleaned out the Rotary Skate Park Thursday in advance of playgrounds opening. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW)

By Josh Ryan

Time to ride

Rotary Skate Park and playgrounds open in North Battleford

Jun 12, 2020 | 7:00 AM

As the City of North Battleford opens its playgrounds today, a much discussed amenity is also ready for kickflips and slides.

The Rotary Skate Park is available to the public, after the removal of shale and gravel Thursday that had been put in to deter skaters from using the off-limits space during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We’ve been busy removing the gravel,” Mayor Ryan Bater said. “So, those who want to use the park will be able to do so.”

Bater said there was some ambiguity about what provincial guidelines the park fit under. However, discussions with the province and other municipalities confirmed it was OK to begin cleaning it off for use.

“It’s a form of a playground,” he said. “So, people can go back to skating on it.”

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Basketball courts are also considered part of the playground system and will be open, along with previously opened courts like tennis and pickleball. However, most of the basketball courts are on school grounds.

“You’d have to phone the school divisions about [everything on their grounds].” Bater said.

The easing of restrictions for playing in these areas comes just before the weekend, which could see a heavy volume of families arrive. Bater said it’s going to come down to residents showing personal responsibility and act accordingly in making safe choices.

“If you go to a playground and notice a large crowd, either go to another area or come back later,” he said. “We still have to maintain the crowd size restrictions, which is now 30 people.

Preparing for action; city workers ensured the skate park would be ready for the expected deluge of users (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW)

In addition to waiting for other families to leave, anyone accessing playgrounds and parks are advised to continue using safe practices to protect against the possibility of transmission. There will be signs posted to remind residents of those guidelines.

“People need to wash their hands before and after going, wash their faces, make sure they aren’t showing symptoms and all those things,” he said. “There’s also pretty clear guidelines about maintaining a two-meter distance from people who aren’t a member of your household.”

Not all outdoor sporting venues are open, with ball diamonds, soccer fields set to open in Phase Four of the province’s ReOpen Plan, the date for which has yet to be announced. Other areas still closed for now including outdoor pools and splash parks.

“A lot of it has to do with having a common object and the ability to attract [larger] crowds,” Bater said. “But right now, we have [a] green light for playgrounds, so that’s what we are doing.”

The city won’t be specifically policing playgrounds or the skate park, but they will have some staff monitor areas for maintenance. However, Bater said people should reach out if crowd sizes get out of control.

“If members of the public see people not adhering to public health orders, there’s still that 1-800 number to call,” he said. “This is for gatherings going above the threshold.”

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josh.ryan@jpbg.ca

@JoshRyanSports