Kilreen Park Rink Making Day on Sunday, January 2

When: Sunday January 2, 2022 at 9:30 a.m.

Where: Kilreen Park

Details:

Come out with your skis / snowshoes / shovels to begin stomping down the snow and begin flooding the rink.

Due to the City of Ottawa COVID regulations, only fully vaccinated (two doses) people can volunteer at the city run rinks.

The current maximum number of people that can gather outdoors is 25, so our young children will not be able to participate this year in rink preparation.

We would like to encourage everyone to wear masks even though we are outdoors due to the extreme transmissibility of the Omicron variant.

We would like to thank you in advance for your time and dedication to create a place for community to enjoy the winter weather.

We are looking forward to the start of a new skating season!

City of Ottawa - City implements capacity limits at all outdoor recreation facilities

 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.

City of Ottawa - The latest updates from Recreation, Culture and Facilities

 

Capacity reduced to 50 per cent

To help slow down the current surge of the Omicron variant, the Province of Ontario and Ottawa Public Health have introduced measures that limit capacity to 50 per cent at recreation and culture facilities, Continue to use the online reservation system on ottawa.ca/recreation to book a time for drop-in activities such as public and lane swims, indoor skating, fitness classes and the use of the cardio/weight rooms.

Proof of vaccination changes

Provincial regulations have changed regarding proof of vaccination. Youth, ages 12 to 17, are now required to show proof of vaccination and valid identification to access City indoor recreation and cultural facilities for most activities – including organized sports. For youth who turn 12 in 2022, there is a grace period of 12 weeks from their birthday when they do not need to show proof of vaccination. Remember to bring your proof of vaccination and identification that shows your name and birthday. Starting in January, the enhanced vaccine certificate with QR code will be the only proof of vaccination accepted in Ontario.

Holiday hours

Before heading out to your local facility over the holidays, be sure to check their hours first. Find links to all the facilities here.

Dexter

Our very own parkasaurus, Dexter is celebrating this holiday season. Looking for an activity for the kids? How about making a snowman wreath?

City of Ottawa - Ottawa Public Health announces capacity limits and additional public health measures

 Ottawa Public Health announced today that, in response to rapidly increasing transmission of COVID-19 in Ottawa and the increased transmissibility of Omicron, it is taking additional and immediate action to limit further spread of the virus to protect residents and reduce the impact on our health care resources and essential services. These actions are detailed in a Letter of Instruction from Dr. Vera Etches, Ottawa Public Health’s Medical Officer of Health. The instructions are effective Monday, December 20 at 12:01 am.

The enhanced measures include:

• Indoor capacity is limited to 50% or less if needed to maintain at least two metres between people
• Capacity and distancing requirements are applicable regardless of whether the establishment checks proof of vaccination
• Signage must be posted in a conspicuous location, visible to the public, that states the capacity limits

These measures apply to a broad range of establishments, including those below. A full list is in the Letter of Instruction.

• Meeting and event spaces, including conference centres or convention centres
• Restaurants, bars, and other food or drink establishments without dance facilities
• Personal care services, such as hair salons and barbershops, manicure and pedicure salons, aesthetician services, piercing services, tanning salons, spas and tattoo studios
• Indoor recreational amenities and indoor facilities used for sports and recreational fitness activities, including areas for spectators within those facilities
• Indoor clubhouses affiliated with outdoor recreational amenities
• Indoor concert venues, theatres and cinemas
• Museums, galleries and similar attractions
• Casinos, bingo halls and other gaming establishments
• Indoor fairs, rural exhibitions, festivals and similar events
• Faith-based organizations and places of worship

Establishments that serve food or beverages must follow these additional regulations:

• Patrons must be seated at all times when eating or drinking
• No more than six people seated per table

In addition to the regulations outlined in the Letter of Instruction, Ottawa Public Health also strongly recommends these measures:

• Keep indoor gatherings in private settings as small as possible
• Limit the total number of people you come in close contact with this holiday season
• Suspend indoor sports and team play temporarily
• Do not attend large venues, and if you choose to do this, wear a mask at all times
• Employers should advise their employees to work from home if possible, as was recently recommended by the Province
• If you are a close contact of a confirmed COVID-19 case but have not yet been contacted by public health, please self-isolate and get tested
• If you are waiting for test results, isolate – do not attend school, sports or any extracurricular activities

Ottawa is in a much better position than in March of 2020 when we faced the initial surge of COVID-19, with an unimmunized population and incomplete knowledge of all the measures possible to limit transmission. Immunity is building effectively through our vaccination efforts but right now these enhanced measures are essential to protect the health of all Ottawa residents and our health care system.

Ottawa Public Library hours during the holidays

 Ottawa Public Library will be closed for statutory holidays Saturday December 25 (Christmas Day), Sunday December 26 (Boxing Day) and Saturday January 1 (New Year’s Day). 

However, all branches normally open on Fridays will be open from 10 to 3 pm on Friday, December 24 and Friday, December 31. 

The Metcalfe branch will be open from 10 to 2 pm on Friday, December 24 and Friday, December 31. 

Please note that the following branches will be CLOSED on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve as they are not open on Fridays.   

• Constance Bay  
• Fitzroy Harbour  
• Munster 
• North Gower  
• Osgoode  
• Vernon 

Although the branches will be closed during this time, online services are always available at https://biblioottawalibrary.ca/en. 

Please check the OPL website for information about hours and location.  
 
For the latest updates about current service levels at OPL, please visit our website  https://biblioottawalibrary.ca/en/current-branch-services.

City of Ottawa - Special advisory: winter weather parking ban to be lifted at 7 pm

 

The winter weather parking ban will end at 7 pm today, Monday, December 6.

Be in the know about snow

Follow us on Facebook or Twitter @ottawacity to receive updates or subscribe to our electronic email alerts. If you subscribe to e-Alerts, you will receive notification each time a winter weather parking ban is put in place, extended or lifted. There is no charge for this service, and you can unsubscribe at any time. Sign up today at ottawa.ca.

Residents can also download the City of Ottawa app on their Android or Apple device to receive up-to-date information on winter parking bans and other City news.

For more winter parking information, please visit Ottawa.ca/winter or call 3-1-1 (TTY: 613-580-2401).

For more information on City programs and services, visit ottawa.ca, call 3-1-1 (TTY: 613-580-2401) or 613-580-2400 to contact the City using Canada Video Relay Service. You can also connect with us through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

City of Ottawa - Special advisory: daytime winter weather parking ban in effect on Monday, December 6 from 10 am to 7 pm

 

Due to weather conditions, a daytime winter weather parking ban will be in effect on Monday, December 6 between 10 am and 7 pm across Ottawa. These hours might be extended if additional time is needed to complete winter road operations.

During a winter weather parking ban, parking is prohibited on city streets so crews can plow easily and effectively. Vehicles parked on the street during a ban may be ticketed and towed. On-street monthly parking permit holders are exempt from this restriction when they are parked in residential parking permit zones.

Available parking

During winter weather parking bans, residents will have access to select OC Transpo park and rides as well as certain recreation centres. Visit ottawa.ca/winter for more information about which City facilities are available during winter weather parking bans.

Commercial main streets

To help residents shop local, some commercial main streets are exempt from winter parking bans. When a parking ban is called during winter weather events, residents can park in the identified areas (view maps), while observing all posted signage and pay and display requirements

Be in the know about snow

• Subscribe to our electronic email alerts. If you subscribe to e-Alerts, you will receive notification each time a winter weather parking ban is put in place, extended or lifted. There is no charge for this service, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
• Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to receive updates
• Residents can also download the City of Ottawa app on their Android or Apple device to receive up-to-date information on winter parking bans and other City news.

For more winter parking information, please visit ottawa.ca/winter.

For more information on City programs and services, visit ottawa.ca, call 3-1-1 (TTY: 613-580-2401) or 613-580-2400 to contact the City using Canada Video Relay Service. You can also connect with us through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

City of Ottawa - Expanded eligibility - Third dose of COVID-19 vaccines available starting December 13 to residents aged 50 and older

 Starting Monday, December 13 at 8 am, individuals aged 50 and over (born in 1971 or earlier) will be eligible to schedule a third dose (booster) appointment if at least 6 months (168 days) have passed since their last dose. This aligns with the recent provincial announcement on expanded eligibility and provides Ottawa residents with an extra layer of protection against COVID-19 and its variants.

Individuals already eligible for booster doses, who can book an appointment now, include:

• Individuals aged 70 and over (born in 1951 or earlier)
• Health care workers
• Staff and designated essential caregivers in congregate settings (such as long-term care and retirement homes)
• Individuals who received a complete series of a viral vector vaccine (two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine or one dose of the Janssen vaccine)
• First Nation, Inuit and Métis adults (16 and over) and their non-Indigenous household members.

Ottawa residents who meet the criteria are encouraged to reach out to local pharmacies using the provincial pharmacy locator to find those that provide the booster dose. Some primary care physicians are also providing boosters.

While Ottawa Public Health continues to focus on the implementation of the vaccine for the five to 11 population, additional appointments are being allocated at its community clinics for December to support the increased vaccination demand for adult boosters. Eligible residents can book an appointment at a community clinic through the Provincial COVID-19 Vaccination Portal or by calling the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre at 1-833-943-3900. Drop-in spots are limited, so it is recommended to book an appointment. Please note for newly eligible adults aged 50 and older, booking will begin on Monday, December 13 at 8 am.

The province announced on December 2, 2021 that a limited supply of the single dose Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) COVID-19 vaccine will be available to individuals aged 18 and over who have an allergy or contraindication to mRNA vaccines or at the request of an individual who has not yet been vaccinated. Ottawa Public Health is not currently offering this vaccine but looks forward to implementing its use in its clinics. More details will be available on how to access this vaccine in the weeks to follow.

Visit OttawaPublicHealth.ca/COVID19 to learn more about COVID-19, how you can protect yourself and others and what to do if you suspect you may be infected with the virus. You can also connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

For more information on City programs and services, visit ottawa.ca, call 3-1-1 (TTY: 613-580-2401) or 613-580-2400 to contact the City using Canada Video Relay Service. You can also connect with us through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.