Splashpads are opening in Vaughan

It’s time to cool off from the heat! The City of Vaughan is preparing to open splashpads for citizens to enjoy in response to the Province of Ontario’s new announcement on Friday, May 21. In line with the City’s disciplined, measured and responsible approach to COVID-19, the following outdoor amenities will be reopening effective Saturday, May 22:

• Splashpads – NEWLY ANNOUNCED
  
• Tennis, bocce and basketball courts
• Sports fields – team sports and organized play are prohibited under the current provincial direction
• Baseball fields – team sports and organized play are prohibited under the current provincial direction
• Skateboard parks
• Uplands Golf and Ski Club

Please be patient as City staff work to clean splashpads, remove signage and reinstall nets in courts and sports fields before they can open. In addition to these spaces reopening, the outdoor limit for social gatherings and organized public events will be increased to five people on Saturday, May 22.

The City is reminding citizens to make safety the priority when using splashpads and other park amenities this weekend – they are not sanitized. It is important to stay vigilant and follow protocols designed to help protect the health of the entire community. 

• Continue to practise physical distancing by keeping a safe distance of at least two metres (approximately six feet) away from others.
• Avoid gatherings of more than five people (per provincial guidelines). Congregating in parks and other public spaces while physical distancing measures are in effect is not permitted. Spectating must also be avoided to prevent crowding.
• Do not share equipment, including tennis racquets, skateboards or personal water bottles.
• Avoid visiting parks outside of your local neighbourhood or community.
• Playing tennis is only permitted in areas where nets are set up.
• Remember to gather all your belongings before exiting the park.
• Do not litter and place personal protective equipment, such as gloves or masks, into the garbage when done with them.
• Wash or sanitize your hands before and after visiting a splashpad.
• Always sneeze and cough into your sleeve or a tissue to prevent further transmission of germs.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
• Do not visit a park if you are not feeling well. Those who feel unwell and believe they have symptoms related to COVID-19 should contact York Region Public Health at 1-800-361-5653 or Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000.
• Keep up with good hand hygiene, including washing your hands often with soap and water and using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer before and after visiting reopened amenities.  

The Province’s recent announcement also includes the new Roadmap to Reopen three-step plan. For a complete list of the Provincial restrictions and resources, please visit ontario.ca/COVID19. For information on City services and amenities, please visit vaughan.ca/COVID19.

As some amenities begin to reopen safely, the City continues to make the health and safety of the community a priority to stop the spread of COVID-19. On this front, the City's By-law and Compliance, Licensing and Permit Services department, in partnership with public health officials, York Regional Police and other levels of government, remains at the forefront in applying and enforcing the provincial regulations passed under the Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act, 2020 (ROA), the directions of the Medical Officer of Health and the City’s COVID-19 Emergency Measures By-law. To avoid further closures and remain vigilant in the fight to stop the spread of COVID-19 transmissions, enforcement and education efforts have been increased across the city. There will be a heightened by-law enforcement presence in the community at reopened amenities. Public complaints, concerns and inquiries should be reported to Access Vaughan at 905-832-2281 or accessvaughan@vaughan.ca. 

The City’s By-law department has been and continues to be at the forefront in the fight against COVID-19 and actively enforces provincial regulations, including: 

• the activation of a series of orders prohibiting or restricting business activity under the Emergency Measures and Civil Protection Act (EMCPA). Orders came into effect on March 17, 2020 following the provincial state of emergency announcement.
• the introduction of a phased system for regulating activity under the EMCPA and related provisions under the Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act, 2020 (ROA), with increased restrictions for certain areas in the province. This system was in effect until fall 2020. 
• the placement of Vaughan and York Region into lockdown, under the Province of Ontario’s COVID-19 response framework.
• the re-introduction of EMCPA and the announcement of a province-wide lockdown in December 2020. This was followed by a stay-at-home order, which prohibits movement outside one’s residence.
• the reopening of Vaughan and York Region into the Red-Control zone of the Province of Ontario’s COVID-19 response framework. Eased restrictions were announced in February 2021.
• the activation of a series of orders prohibiting or restricting business activity following the announcement of a province-wide stay-at-home order on April 8, 2021. 

Those who feel unwell, and believe they have symptoms related to COVID-19, should contact York Region Public Health at 1-800-361-5653 or Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000. For additional information and resources on the virus, visit York Region's website at york.ca/COVID19. 

To receive Vaughan’s latest updates as they happen, sign up for the City Update eNewsletter at vaughan.ca/CityUpdate and follow the City’s Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn channels.

-30-