Ottawa’s Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Vera Etches, has issued a Letter of Instruction
limiting the number of people at outdoor recreational facilities, such
as ice rinks, sledding hills and ski trails. Unless otherwise posted,
the maximum capacity is 25 at one time. There is also a signage
requirement advising of masking and capacity limits. These regulations
take effect on Sunday, December 26 at 12:01 am and apply to City and
privately managed outdoor amenities.
Capacity limits
These
capacity limits apply to all operators of outdoor recreational
amenities, such as ice rinks, sledding hills, and trails for walking,
snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and fat-biking. Parking
lots, changing areas, outdoor rental counters and trailheads in
particular can become congested.
- The capacity limit is determined by the number of people able to maintain a distance of two metres, up to a maximum of 25 people (with some exceptions as posted)
- The 25-person limit applies at entrances and other points of potential congestion on skating trails and ovals (such as the Brewer Skating Oval)
- All participants must maintain a physical distance of two metres, with the exception of members from one household
- Outdoor refrigerated rinks have different capacity limits and each one has its limit posted on-site; the same two-metre distancing requirements apply
- Masking is required for anyone who accesses the outdoor recreational amenity, including spectators, and highly recommended when engaging in physical activity
- Indoor changerooms and indoor clubhouses, excluding bathrooms, are to be closed to the public
There
are other operational requirements to avoid crowding, such as creating
one-way traffic flows as we’re familiar with in grocery stores. In
addition, the new requirements include guidelines for access time
limits. Details are available in the Letter of Instruction.
Signage requirements
Facility
operators must post signage in a highly visible location(s) to
communicate the capacity limits and the physical distancing and masking
requirements. The City of Ottawa website has posters to download and print.
Impacts to outdoor City facilities
The
four City outdoor refrigerated rinks, listed below, each have their own
capacity limits posted on-site. Two-metre distancing rules apply. Rink operating hours are on the City website.
- City Hall Rink of Dreams
- Jim Tubman Chevrolet Rink of Dreams
- Lansdowne Park Skating Court
- Ben Franklin Place Skating Rink
Neighbourhood outdoor rinks and ice pads, when weather conditions allow them to open, will have a 25-person capacity limit or less for smaller rinks and will be posted on-site. More details and updates can be found on ottawa.ca/skating.
Enforcement
Non-compliance with these regulations may result in a fine. If you witness an activity that is of concern for public safety, please report it to 3-1-1. More details are available in the Letter of Instruction.
While
the risk of transmission of COVID-19 is, on average, greater indoors
compared to outdoors, the risk of transmission is elevated outdoors when
there is crowding, close contact, prolonged exposure and forceful
exhalation, as from sports participants. As reported by the Ontario Science Table
last week, without prompt intervention such as these additional public
health measures, ICU occupancy could reach unsustainable levels early in
January. These new requirements will allow residents to continue their
outdoor activities while minimizing the risk of transmitting COVID-19,
especially the Omicron variant now circulating.
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