The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) has made a few changes to its ongoing recreation and winter programming, following the province's expanded COVID-19 restrictions announced yesterday.
At Meadow Park Sports Centre (MPSC), the fitness centre will be closed until at least January 18, the RMOW announced in a release issued Wednesday. That includes the centre's weight room, cardio room and stretching rooms. All group fitness classes are also cancelled. The pool, arena, squash and basketball courts will, however, remain open. Use of each squash court will limited to a maximum of two people that already know each other, while the basketball court can be used by a maximum of four people that already know each other. The MSPC arena café will also remain open, but people must eat food sitting down or order takeout. Masks must be worn while indoors and can only be taken off when eating.
All MPSC passes will be extended for the amount of time the fitness centre is closed, the RMOW confirmed in the release.
Children’s programming at both MPSC and Myrtle Philip Community Centre will continue as scheduled, as will hockey games and practices. Spectators for hockey games and practices will be limited to 50 per cent of the arena's capacity. As for adult drop-in sports at Myrtle Philip and Whistler Secondary, the RMOW said none are scheduled for the holiday period, but are planned to resume in the new year.
Whistler Public Library will also be pivoting back to stricter health protocols by bringing back 30-minute express visits as well as virtual programming. Services available during express visits including browsing the shelves, reading recommendations, holds pick-ups, express computer access, printing, requesting materials from other libraries, purchase suggestions, self-checkout, Wi-Fi access, washrooms and returns, according to the municipality.
The municipality is also discontinuing in-person service at its Planning, Building and Engineering departments beginning Thursday, Dec. 23. Reopening of in-person service in these departments will be reviewed in January, the RMOW noted.
Wintersphere, Whistler's free New Year's Eve celebrations cancelled
When it comes to events and celebrations planned for this holiday season, the RMOW is opting to shut theirs down.
The municipality announced Wednesday that Wintersphere, an indoor celebration featuring drop-in entertainment and activities at the Whistler Conference Centre, has been cancelled. The frigid temperatures forecast for the valley this week have also put a halt to Whistler’s live and local music series and Sugar Shack characters at Olympic Plaza, which was scheduled to run from Dec. 19 to 30.
The RMOW also announced Whistler's free New Year's Eve Celebrations, including fireworks, have been cancelled in light of the new COVID-19 restrictions. While the additional transit service planned New Year’s Eve has also been cancelled, free transit will continue to be offered from 6 p.m. on Dec. 31 to 3:30 a.m. on Jan. 1 within Whistler.
B.C. provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced on Dec. 21 a slate of new health and safety restrictions in the wake of surging COVID-19 cases attributed to the rapidly-transmissible Omicron variant.
As of Wednesday, Dec. 22 at 11:59 p.m., seated events will be reduced to 50 per cent of their capacity regardless of their venue size. That marks a departure from Friday's (Dec. 17) announcement that only venues for over 1000 people would see their capacity limited.
Restaurants, pubs, and cafes are permitted to stay open but only a maximum of six guests may be seated per table (plus physical distancing or barriers), and guests cannot mingle between tables.
Indoor gatherings continue to be limited to one household plus 10 other individuals or one other household. Everyone who attends a gathering must be vaccinated; no unvaccinated people may attend parties or social gatherings.
All sports tournaments are also cancelled until the orders are lifted. The new and expanded restrictions will remain in effect until at least Jan. 18.
- With files from Elana Shepert/Vancouver Is Awesome
