Beaches to open in West Nipissing; splash pads remaining closed

It's a bit of good news for West Nipissing residents as they try to stay cool with temperatures expected to reach 30C leading up to the weekend.

The Municipality of West Nipissing is opting to open all its beaches tomorrow but the splash pads in Sturgeon Falls, Verner and Cache Bay will remain closed due to challenges with maintaining physical distancing for children and their caregivers.

"We are working to ensure that proper signage is installed and that public health measures are in place to ensure the safety of our residents," the municipality informed resident via its website and social media channels about the possibility of opening the splash pad and other amenities.

North Bay opened its splash pad this week but officials in Callander, much like West Nipissing, will keep theirs closed as discussions take place to eventually open facilities safely for users. Meanwhile, North Bay beaches reopened at the end of May.

In North Bay, children must be supervised at all times and users are reminded to wash or sanitize their hands after use. Also, children should remember to stay two metres away from others using the splash pad and to follow all guidelines related to social gatherings.

Callander Mayor Robb Noon says the town is hoping to open its splash pad next week.

"It's just an organizing thing. How are we going to maintain social distancing because we have that push pad so every 10 minutes somebody has to push it (to operate the system)? Staff are looking into the logistics of opening. We can't leave it closed all summer, it hurts the businesses in town and they look forward to that."

Municipal beaches in West Nipissing will be unsupervised and permanent washrooms will remain closed. Temporary toilets will be placed at the beaches but facilities will not be sanitized throughout the day by municipal staff. Residents are reminded by the municipality to continue to follow public health measures and to practise physical distancing.

The municipality has taken a careful approach by "reviewing opportunities to implement Stage 2 access." Although many were eligible for reopening by a provincial directive as of June 12, West Nipissing wanted "to conduct a thorough assessment of services and work with the local health unit to ensure that proper safety measures are in place."

West Nipissing reminds residents "access to parks is permitted for casual and individual use, and non-contact activities such as walking, running or biking through." The splash pads within those parks, however, are closed. The Cache Bay Community Centre splash pad, South Side Park and Splash Park in Sturgeon Falls and the splash pad in France Gareau Park in Verner will, therefore, remain off-limits.

Additionally, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, public washrooms, play structures, slides, and swings in the Municipality of West Nipissing are closed until further notice.