UPDATED: Coronavirus (COVID-19) - Impacts on Municipal Services
The Town of Penetanguishene continues to monitor news and updates concerning COVID-19 in order to ensure we work to keep our community members safe. With the recent announcement regarding the implementation of Phase 2, we want to remind residents that the Town is working hard to open areas that have been closed and affected by the COVID-19 regulations. To make sure you as community members can stay involved and up to date we encourage you to subscribe to our website email subscription service.
OPP Reporting Tool:
We remind residents that OPP ask that you report allegations of non-compliance with the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act by phoning 1-888-310-1122 or utilizing the online reporting tool at opp.ca/reporting.
Full List of Open/Closed Amenities:
Splash Pad and Beaches: While we were incredibly hopeful to be able to announce to the community that the splash pad and beaches would open this weekend there were reasons out of our control why this did not occur. The Town is in the process of hiring additional staff to be COVID-19 Community Ambassadors to monitor the splash pad are to ensure that proper regulations and safety measures are met, including monitoring group sizes. These positions require training that we are hopeful will be competed in the coming week. In addition, our staff need to be hired and trained on the specialized cleaning equipment to keep residents and staff safe. Although the province has announced that these areas can open, we as a Town are putting all the parameters in place that we feel are necessary to keep our staff and residents safe with the current resources available.
The following chart is available on our webpage and will be updated regularly.
|
Indoor Facilities |
Open/Closed |
Safety Measures in Place |
|
Town Hall |
CLOSED until further notice |
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Penetanguishene Centennial Museum & Achieves |
CLOSED In Review |
|
|
Penetanguishene Library |
OPEN – Adjusted hours. |
View here for hours of operation and other information. |
|
Public Works Building
|
CLOSED until further notice |
|
|
Penetanguishene Memorial Community Centre |
CLOSED until further notice |
|
|
Outdoor Facilities |
Open/Closed |
Safety Measures in Place |
|
Parks |
OPEN |
|
|
Trails |
OPEN |
|
|
Skate Park |
OPEN |
|
|
Playgrounds |
CLOSED |
|
|
Washrooms |
CLOSED – In Progress |
|
|
Beaches |
CLOSED In Progress
Note: A Swimming Advisory has been issued by the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit |
|
|
Splash Pad |
CLOSED – In Progress |
|
|
Sports Courts: Pickle Ball, Tennis, Basketball. |
OPEN |
|
|
Bocce Ball Courts |
OPEN |
|
|
Boat Launch |
OPEN
|
|
|
Wharf |
OPEN Please note until further notice; Tourist Information Centre, washrooms and showers remain closed. |
|
|
Sports fields |
OPEN |
|
|
Dog Park |
OPEN |
|
|
Pavilions & Gazebos |
OPEN *Exception to Rotary Pavilion which will remain CLOSED |
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|
Amphitheatre |
CLOSED |
|
|
Fitness Equipment |
CLOSED |
|
Volunteer Positions Available:
Council is looking to establish a Business Recovery Task Force to meet and discuss local efforts and initiatives to help businesses through this health crisis both in the short and long term. The mandate of this force is to understand and report on the recovery of the local economy, to develop key strategies and recommendations for change, and to communicate and engage with businesses, owners, and leaders across a variety of sectors of the Penetanguishene economy.
If you are interested in participating on this Committee, please send Andrea Betty abetty@penetanguishene.ca an email with some information about yourself and your interest in this Task Force before July 3rd.
Virtual Canada Day:
With current restrictions on large gatherings, Midland, Penetanguishene, Tay and Tiny are collaborating to bring fun family-friendly activities to the community to enjoy online. All activities, with the exception of a performance by Dylan Lock, will be pre-recorded and available at www.culturealliance.ca from July 1 to July 31. This will allow community members to create their own Canada Day schedule and watch favourite videos multiple times. The event will be held through the Cultural Alliance website.
Business Assistance Information:
North Simcoe Community Futures Development Corporation (NSCFDC) under a Regional Relief and Recovery Fund: NSCFDC will focus on assisting “main street” businesses, such as retail shops, restaurants, corner stores, and businesses of strategic importance to their communities, with loans up to $40,000. https://nscfdc.on.ca/_en/RRRFProgram
Economic Development Corporation of North Simcoe (EDCNS): EDCNS is providing “Open for Business” recovery kits. For more informaiton please visit: https://www.edcns.ca/business-recovery-2020
County of Simcoe: The County of Simcoe Economic Development Office is working with partners to continuously update COVID-19 business resources.
Recently available for Penetanguishene businesses is access to the Digital Main Street Program who give assistance and consultation to business to assist in using digital technology. Contact the Southern Georgian Bay Small Business Enterprise Centre (SBEC) for more information by telephone at: 705-446-3355 or by email at sbec@collingwood.ca.
Fire Safety:
Fire permits are not required at this time. Please remember that fires are for recreational purposes and are only permitted between 4:00 pm to midnight. Please refer to the “Open Air Burning Permit Terms and Conditions” attachment for guidelines and more information.
How to Handle and Exchange Second Hand Goods:
Shopping for second-hand products is a good way to save money, recycle and reuse during COVID-19. Shopping may occur either online or in person (such as garage/yard sales). If you participate in handling or purchasing second-hand products visit SMHU for actions you can take to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19.
Town Council:
Penetanguishene Council has had the opportunity to meet for regular council meetings through an online video conferencing system. The next meeting will be July 8th 2020 at 7PM. Agendas and Minutes continue to be available on our website. The public is welcome to join these meetings virtually. If you are interested in being a part of the next meeting or if you have any questions or concerns please contact the Town Clerk, Stacey Cooper at705-549-7453 or scooper@penetanguishene.ca
Contacting the Town:
We encourage residents to reach out to Town Staff with questions and/or concerns. A full staff directory with email and phone numbers for specific departments is listed here.