As municipalities across the Lower Mainland shut down their facilities to halt the spread of COVID-19, Richmond’s still appear to be open for business.
Burnaby, Delta, Surrey and Port Coquitlam have all shut up shop for the foreseeable future amid fears of the virus.
Vancouver, around lunchtime Monday, announced it was now in the process of shutting down most of its facilities, with that city's mayor urging people not to go to restaurants and bars.
And around 3 p.m., Abbottsford added itself to the list of cities shutting down recreational and non-essential facilities.
Meanwhile, the Richmond Olympic Oval, as well as other Richmond recreational faciltiies, remain open.
A statement posted on the Oval’s website today said that additional hand sanitizing stations have been placed around the Oval in high-traffic areas and that “all fitness and sport equipment will be cleaned daily.”
Group fitness classes are reduced in capacity to increase distance between members and there will be reduced fitness equipment availability to increase social distancing.
The Richmond News asked the City of Richmond Monday morning what its plans are regarding the running of its facilities.
A spokesperson said that the city was "closely monitoring the situation."
"We are in continuous contact with, and taking advice and direction from Richmond’s Medical Health Officer and will advise of any changes to our programs or facilities.
"Currently, facilities are open and programs are running. We will post further updates on our website and the City’s Facebook and Twitter accounts."
Richmond Coun. Harold Steves suggested Friday in a Twitter post that the borders should be closed in light of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
But Mayor Malcolm Brodie isn’t necessarily ready to push for such extreme measures, saying closing the border would be “pretty draconian.”
“We do have to be careful but that would be somewhat too forceful at this point,” Brodie said Friday.
To stay on top of the coronavirus outbreak, Richmond city staff are meeting sometimes more than once a day and briefing politicians regularly to keep them updated, with the health of Richmondites “top of our minds,” Brodie explained.
Attention to hygiene, cleanliness and maintenance, to make sure everything is running “perfectly,” has been stepped up at all city facilities, Brodie said, and at this point none have been closed.
As of 10 a.m. on Monday, 175,817 people around the world have been infected with COVID-19, most of whom are in China.
There are now 73 cases of the coronavirus in B.C., including one death, an elderly man in his 80s who was living in a care home in North Vancouver.
There has been 6,717 deaths reported and 77,871 have fully recovered.
