City of Ottawa Recreation Update - July 2020

Time to put on your bathing suit

Summer is here and you can enjoy a dip in one of our outdoor pools or escape the sun with an indoor swim. Reserve your spot with our online booking system to swim up to two days in advance. It’s quick and easy and enables our facilities to limit the number of people within the building. And let’s not forget our Learn to Swim programs! For those of you looking for these low ratio swim lessons, rest assured that protocols are in place to help keep everyone as safe as possible. Register today!

Lifting weights

For those itching to get back into the gym, nine weight and cardio rooms will open on August 4. More fitness centres are set to open in September. A list of facilities can be found on our website. Safety is our priority, so there are some changes. You’ll be able to reserve 1.5 hour workout time slots through an online reservation system or by calling the facility. There will be breaks between for cleaning and disinfecting. Reduced capacity means more room for physical distancing. Arrive in your workout attire as some changerooms will be closed. Also, please wear a mask when entering and walking in the facility. Most of all we ask that you enjoy your workout!

Museums

On August 5 you can once again enjoy City of Ottawa museums! Things will look a little different, but you can still expect the same fun and learning opportunities as before. We will be asking that you book your spot to visit on the museum’s website by 4 pm the day prior. Museums will be open Wednesday to Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm, unless otherwise indicated. There will be safeguards in place to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. These include: all visitors must provide contact-tracing information and complete an online self-assessment form, directional signage in place for one-way foot traffic, designated entrance and exit points for indoor exhibits, available hand sanitizer, restricted access to some exhibition spaces and food will not be available.

Join us in person or virtually for the Shenkman Arts Centre Summer Series

If you are craving live performances in person, have we got a treat for you. Thursdays in August, the Shenkman Arts Centre, in partnership with the Heart of Orléans BIA, is presenting free 30-minute performances on the Agora Minto-Orléans plaza. With COVID-safety protocols in place, these performances will be live for an audience of up to 100 people. Entrance will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis. If you’d rather watch from home, then we have you covered! These performances will also be filmed and the videos will be available on our website and social media the following Tuesday, so that you can enjoy these performances virtually.

Ottawa Public Library - Appointments no longer needed to pick up holds at OPL

OPL is pleased to announce that as of Monday, July 27, you no longer need to book an appointment to pick up your available holds at branches offering the contactless holds pickup service. If you have already booked an appointment for July 27 or later, you can pick up your holds anytime during opening hours starting July 27. You do not need to take any action to cancel your appointment.

CONTACTLESS SERVICE

Contactless service is currently offered at the following branches:

Main, Beaverbrook, Carlingwood, Carp, Cumberland, Greely, Greenboro, Nepean Centrepointe, North Gloucester, Ruth E. Dickinson, Stittsville, and St. Laurent.

As of Monday, July 27, contactless service will also be offered at: Alta Vista, Blackburn Hamlet, Centennial, Elmvale Acres, and Emerald Plaza.

Customers are able to enter these branches to return borrowed items, and to pick up and check out holds using the checkout machines.

At this time, in-person browsing is not available.

CURBSIDE SERVICE

Rosemount (temporary location) will be offering curbside service starting Monday, July 27. Due to limited floor space, appointments are required for customers who wish to pick up their available holds from Rosemount (temporary location). Returns are accepted anytime during opening hours with no appointment.

The hours of operation of the branches open for contactless or curbside service are available under Hours and Locations on the OPL website.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Masks are required to be worn inside Ottawa Public Library branches, as per the Temporary Mandatory Mask By-law.

The health and safety of our customers and employees is our highest priority.

• Returned materials are quarantined for 72 hours.
• Returns and hold pickups are contactless.
• Visible markers are present at branches to ensure physical distancing.
• Employees practice physical distancing. Regular cleaning and handwashing are routine.
• Enhanced cleaning protocols have been implemented.
• Customers are asked to wear a mask, use the hand sanitizer provided, and respect physical distancing requirements.
• We recommend washing your hands after handling library materials.

Please visit the returns and holds pickup webpage for additional details.

City of Ottawa Recreation Update - July 2020

Play structures are open

Swings, slides, monkey bars — City of Ottawa parks have it all. It’s great to see smiling little faces enjoying the outdoor equipment again. Just remember to physical distance. Play structures and outdoor gym equipment will not be cleaned so avoid touching your face and wash your hands frequently.

Learn to swim

Swim lessons are back. Many indoor and outdoor pools are offering swim lessons for all levels. For the younger ones, parents will need to assist in the pool so the instructor can keep a two-metre distance. Not only do you get to cool off on a hot day, you get an up close look at how your child is learning to swim. Protocols are in place to keep everyone as safe as possible. Although things may look a little different, it's still the same top-notch swim instruction and lots of fun! Register today!

Swim memberships

If you are one of our amazing members, you'll know that memberships were paused on March 16. Now that pools are open, we’ll be extending swimming memberships by 4.5-months to make up for lost time and to give you an extra two weeks to transition back. Customers who pay for their membership by monthly installments on their credit cards will have payments resume on August 15.

Colour Dexter the Dinosaur

Have you spotted our favourite dinosaur out and about? He has been to parks, by the water in his life jacket, and even in the mall with his mask on! He is gathering quite the fan base. If you have a dinosaur fan in your house, don’t forget that we have Dexter colouring pages on our Facebook page. Check out our photo albums and you’ll see the folder.

City of Ottawa - Accessibility News - July 2020

Accessible water wheelchairs available at City beaches

The City of Ottawa’s Recreation, Cultural and Facility Services Department has once again made accessible water wheelchairs available at Westboro Beach, Mooney’s Bay and Petrie Island for Summer 2020! The initiative began as a pilot project in 2017 at Mooney’s Bay and has since expanded. The chair at Westboro Beach is on loan from Britannia Beach, which is currently closed for dredging. The chairs are semi-submersible, sitting on four large inflatable tires that enable the chair to cross the sand and enter the water. They are also equipped with adjustable armrests and a quick-release seatbelt for the user’s comfort and security. The City looks forward to making more chairs available in the future. Water wheelchairs are free to rent, from noon to 6:30 daily until August 30. Reservations are required, and chairs can be reserved for half hour windows. To check availability and make a reservation, please contact: Mooney’s Bay: 613-248-0863 (Please note that Mooney’s Bay also has a beach mat that allows people using mobility devices to access the shoreline. This can also be used free of charge.) Petrie Island: 613-824-5704 Westboro: 613-792-3875 Or email. Please visit our website for more information.

Ottawa Public Health resources in American Sign Language and langue des signes Québécoise

We are happy to announce that the Ottawa Public Health (OPH) website now includes information related to COVID-19 in American Sign Language (ASL) and langue des signes Québécoise (LSQ). The page is designed to provide accurate and reliable COVID-19 resources to the Deaf and hard of hearing community in Ottawa. These resources are found under Related Pages on the OPH website or directly on the Resources in American Sign Language page. This resource is a step toward the City of Ottawa’s goal of delivering accessible and inclusive communications for all residents.

Taking care of your mental health

The COVID-19 situation can be very stressful and has created new challenges and stresses for people with disabilities, and / or people who are immunocompromised. It is really important to take care of our mental health during challenging times like this. In reaction, OPH has created a resource page that includes information on how you can protect you and your families’ mental health, and information on how and where to access mental health resources. Information on mental health during COVID-19 in ASL and LSQ and can be found on the OPH website.

The QTSR Community Association Condemns Workplace Harassment

Ottawa's Integrity Commissioner Robert Marleau released a report this week recommending sanctions against Councillor Rick Chiarelli in response to complaints received from female job applicants and is scheduled to release a second report on complaints received from former female staffers.

The behaviour outlined in this report is unacceptable in any workplace, especially in the office of a public representative. Women should never be demeaned or objectified in the workplace. Their workplaces should be free from unwanted sexualized comments and behaviours.

We encourage the City of Ottawa to at a minimum enact the guidelines proposed by Samson & Associates to modify the city's hiring and training guidelines to offer additional protections for political staffers. We further encourage the city to offer support and funding for organizations that assist women who have experienced sexual harassment.

City of Ottawa - Reserve your swim online

It’s time to go to the pool!

Summer is in full swing, so put on your bathing suit and head to the pool. We are happy to announce that many of our indoor and outdoor pools are open for public and lane swims. Rest assured that the City has been working closely with Canadian Red Cross Society, Life Saving Society and with guidance from Ottawa Public Health to ensure that you can have fun with your family or enjoy a solo swim this summer. Reserve your spot You will need to reserve your space to swim as the number of swimmers per session is limited. Walk-in spots may be available, but we highly recommend that you reserve to avoid disappointment and to limit the spread of COVID-19. Go to ottawa.ca/swim to view swim schedules and availability, and to reserve your spot. You can reserve your spot up to two days in advance. Book spots for up to six people for a public swim, and up to two people for a lane swim. Your spot will be reserved up to 15 minutes after the session has started; if you arrive later than the starting 15 minutes, your spot may be given to another individual. Please cancel as soon as you are able to, if you have booked and are unable to attend a swim. As there are a limited number of spots available for reservation, this will give someone else the opportunity to attend. You can cancel or modify your booking by contacting the pool. How long can I swim for? Sessions last for one-hour and there will be a 15-minute break in between so staff can disinfect the common areas and get them ready for the next group of swimmers. How do I pay? Payment can be made on site. Please use debit or credit if possible so we can keep contact down to a minimum. Cash will be accepted. For more information Health and safety measures, mask protocols and pool locations can all be found at ottawa.ca/swim