Public health order affecting Powell River Recreation Complex highlighted at city meeting

City of Powell River councillors have outlined rules for people accessing Powell River Recreation Complex under current health orders.

At the December 2 council meeting, there was a rise and report on the November 30 closed council meeting, where council reviewed recent operational changes for proof of COVID-19 vaccination implemented at the facility.

Alternative options and associated costs were considered, given concerns expressed by some members of the community for health and wellness, and to support the decisions of staff, given the significant costs and challenges for alternatives, given the layout of the facility and the requirement to remain compliant with the order of the provincial health officer regarding gatherings and events dated November 16.

Chief administrative officer Russell Brewer said proof of vaccination is required for people aged 12 and up only. He said there have been questions about children younger than 12, who can still go swimming.

“Parents can still drop them off in change rooms, because depending on how young they are; some of them need help,” said Brewer. “The parents are just not allowed to stay and spectate. That was the recent change with the provincial regulations.”

Mayor Dave Formosa said parents can get their children on their way and then leave. Brewer said that is correct, just as they have been doing for skating and hockey.

“They can help them get sorted, get them on the rink, but they can’t stay and be a spectator,” said Brewer.

Councillor Jim Palm said the young children are well supervised in the recreational facilities.

Formosa said parents can take their kids in and tighten their skates, and then leave. He said some parents think they can’t go in and set their children up because they don’t have a passport to get in.

“If you’re taking your toddlers in there, you’re allowed to go in, arrange your children, leave and come back and get them,” said Formosa.

Councillor Cindy Elliott said it’s still the rule that children under the age of seven must have an adult with them in the pool.

Palm said he wanted the public to understand that council is mandated by the provincial government because of the layout of the building in terms of safety and protection of the public. He said other jurisdictions have a simple, direct access to their pools, and the city was considering providing access to the pool for spectators.

“In our facility, we’d have to hire three people in order to monitor the situation on a safety basis,” said Palm. “In the end, it was cost prohibitive. We wrestled with this for at least two days, coming up with scenarios that may have a possibility of working, but every time we ran it by our staff at the complex, it was not workable.”