THUNDER BAY – The City of Thunder Bay is adjusting its service delivery in response to evolving public health restrictions.
The city will close some facilities early, with the district currently in the Grey-Lockdown level in the provincial COVID-19 response framework, after recommendations from administration were approved by city council Monday.
The city will also wait to open some facilities, like the 55 Plus Centre and Volunteer Pool, until the district returns to the Orange or Yellow levels.
Arenas
The city will begin closing down ice operations at five of its arenas (Neebing, Delaney, Port Arthur, Grandview, Fort William Gardens) immediately. Operations normally would have ended between April 4 and 15.
With the lockdown keeping those facilities closed for an uncertain amount of time, and organizations including Hockey Northwestern Ontario, the SIJHL, and Thunder Bay Figure Skating cancelling their seasons, the city anticipates it can meet limited demand for ice time at the Current River arena if the lockdown is lifted.
Summer ice availability is scheduled to begin at Current River on April 11. Twenty-five user groups have expressed an interest, the city said, slightly more than usual but not above capacity.
The city will maintain ice plant operations at the Fort William Curling Club.
Youth and seniors programming
The 55 Plus Centre will not reopen until the province returns the Thunder Bay District to the Orange-Restrict zone, though some programming would be allowed at Red.
“Experience operating in ‘Red’ demonstrated that older adults are not comfortable accessing in-person programs/services during this level,” explained a report from the city.
In the meantime, the city is offering seniors’ programming including curbside pick-up at the River Street Café, virtual workshops, the Good Food Box program, income tax support, a telephone chat line service twice a week, connecting seniors with social activities, fitness activities, educational activities, and health presentations.
For the city’s youth inclusion programs, in-person services are suspended, but virtual programming and outreach by navigators continues.
Pools
The city will keep the Volunteer Pool closed until the district returns to the Yellow level, saying its other two indoor pools provided adequate capacity to meet lower demand and capacity in the Red and Orange levels.
The Volunteer Pool will also reopen when the Churchill Pool is closed for capital renewal, anticipated to be this summer.
