District provides updates on various service reopenings

The District of Kitimat has announced the reopening of the Riverlodge Recreation Centre as it looks at ways to balance reopening important facilities while retaining a high calibre of safety to its residents.

While the facility’s shower and sauna facilities will remain closed, guests will be able to use the weight room, cardio equipment and change rooms. Guests are reminded to adhere to the significantly-reduced occupancy numbers for the rooms. In an effort to prevent overcrowding the District is asking guests, when possible, to call with inquiries about current usage rates and to pay user fees. In the event this is not possible they will still be taking payment in person.

At this time the building’s Art Wing will remain closed, with room bookings not being accepted.

Various District services and businesses which operate out of District-owned facilities have begun to reopen in recent weeks, albeit with significant increases to things like building capacity, hygiene standards and programs offered.

This includes the District’s own municipal office, which is now open during regular hours but has limited its currently-offered services to processing bus passes, property tax payments, and home owner grants.

READ MORE: District of Kitimat shutters offices, recreation facilities

Similarly, the Kitimat Museum recently reopened for limited hours of operation, and is now open to the public from 10-2 p.m. Monday to Friday. The Kitimat Senior Centre is operating on a by-appointment basis.

But while a number of services across the region begin to inch towards normalcy, many are still closed to the public.

If you have been looking to cool off at the pool as the weather begins to warm up you’ll have to wait at least a little bit longer. The District said it is still continuing to look at strategies for safely re-opening the Sam Lindsay Aquatic Centre to the public and will provide the public with a status update as soon as it is available.

Likewise, for any kids looking for other ways to burn off a little bit of that pent-up lockdown energy, the Kitimat Youth Centre is still closed to the public.

“The District of Kitimat continues to diligently monitor COVID-19 developments. As facilities begin to resume operations, proactive measures continue to be utilized to minimize potential transmission of COVID-19,” the District said in their latest update.

The District’s recycling facility, Kitimat Understanding the Environment (KUTE) is currently open but is only accepting cardboard and paper (divided categorically into office paper, newspaper/flyers and glossy paper/magazine).