The announcement that provincial and municipal parks were reopening was made around 3:00 p.m. on Friday, May 1 by Premier Stephen McNeil.
Bridgewater’s Mayor David Mitchell says that put them in a tough position, “We’re looking at our staff at around 3:30 in the afternoon on a Friday when everyone is almost done work for the week, while our residents heard from the Premier that parks are open.”
Bridgewater was able to prepare their parks to open, but it took a few days.
The mayor says municipal parks are not the provinces so while the government lifted the rules that enabled them to open ultimately it was the individual communities that had to make preparations.
This has been a common trend according to Mitchell, “Municipalities have never been given notice on the easing of restrictions, including ones that directly impact us except one time when we were given a twenty-minute heads up.”
In many cases, media outlets know before the municipalities as often they are sent embargoed reports on what restrictions will be lifted and when.
He would like to see the provincial government make an effort to consult with municipalities and barring that even a heads up would be helpful in his opinion.
Parks are now open though town staff are not disinfecting high-touch surfaces so Mitchell recommends washing your hands before and after using the equipment.
