Playgrounds across the city will re-open this week following advice from the State Government over the weekend. City of Mount Gambier made the decision to close playgrounds, skate parks and the pump track in March to limit the spread of COVID-19 and discourage gatherings within the community.
South Australia's Chief Public Health Professor Nicola Spurrier wrote to councils over the weekend to advise that these facilities could now re-open.
"Currently in South Australia cases of COVID-19 have been sustained at very low levels and there is no current evidence of community transmission," Professor Spurrier said.
"As a result, the risk of transmission from outdoor parks, playgrounds and equipment is low and can be managed by following important social distancing and hygiene precautions."
Council staff will be working in the coming days to remove closure signs and install new signage at more than 30 facilities around Mount Gambier. The new signage will reinforce social distancing, limits to the size of gatherings and hygiene requirements for those that wish to use playground and skate park facilities.
Some playgrounds will be operational again from today, however please bear with us as we work as quickly as we can to attend to all the playgrounds around the city.- City of Mount Gambier General Manager City Infrastructure Nick Serle said.
"We will work with SA Health to ensure we have appropriate cleaning regimes in place but we ask the community to continue practising good hand hygiene before and after use, keep the minimum distance and no more than 10 people using any facility at one time."
"To ensure these facilities remain accessible to the community, users must continue to do the right thing," Mr Serle said.
City of Mount Gambier will continue to monitor the advice of state and federal governments regarding further easing of restrictions.
Stay up-to-date with Council's response to COVID-19 at www.haveyoursaymountgambier.com.au/covid-19
