Okotoks recreation facilities will continue to follow the Province’s Restriction Exemption Program.
Councillors met with Town staff in an Emergency Advisory Committee meeting at noon Sept. 21 to discuss the merits of implementing the REP, which would require anyone entering the Okotoks Recreation Centre or Pason Centennial Areans to provide proof of vaccination, negative COVID test or medical exemption, or reducing capacity to one-third capacity with physical distancing restrictions in place and adults group activities cancelled.
The meeting came one day after the Town, and other municipalities, were successful in fighting for the Province to exclude children 12 to 17 from providing proof of vaccinations under the REP.
“Some still feel the REP is flawed because it is requiring the separation of parents (who are unable to provide proof) and their children if they are participating in a recreation activity,” said Vincent.
The Town has provided that argument to the Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH) and other Provincial representatives, but always receives the same answer, she said.
“The policy objective of the Province is to increase vaccination, so they are not prepared to move on that,” said Vincent. “The children can participate in the sport, it’s not about the parent. That is the feedback we, as a municipality, were given.”
Over the weekend, since the Town first announced it would be implementing the REP, close to 500 emails were received from concerned parents and community members about that decision, she said.
Some municipalities, including Brooks, had created their own hybrid model, but she said according to the orders sent by the CMOH that is not a viable option.
“Until the Province chooses to create a hybrid, we choosing between Door A an Door B, and anyone who thinks they want to create Door C, good on them – get the Province to approve it so the rest of us can use it, but until that point in time it’s Door A or Door C, Order 42 or Order 43,” said Vincent.
Council debated the possibility of moving to one-third capacity and cancelling adult programming, but opted against that avenue because it had a wider impact on the community, excluding more people from accessing the recreation centres.
Vincent said the recreation centres are used by hundreds of adults and seniors for aquasize and fitness classes, swimming clubs, gym users like recreational volleyball, adult hockey leagues, and community programs. Natural High Fitness, which is doing the REP, would also stand to be affected by a move to one-third because the Provincial order does not allow for discretionary use within facilities.
The Junior B Bisons would also be affected, as they are over the age limit.
“So we’re left with the untenable position of choosing, under Door B, between youth and adults,” said Vincent. “That’s not a choice a municipality wants to make, it wants to support everyone.”
The REP came into effect Sept. 21 and security guards are now in place at the entrances to the Okotoks Recreation Centre and Pason Centennial Arenas to screen patrons.
Susan Laurin, director of community health and safety, said the Town will work with parents as much as possible to ensure youth entering the facility whose parents are unable to enter, are able to get to their activities.
They are also working with user groups to develop solutions to that issue, she said.
“We’re working to be as flexible as we can, and we are pivoting on how to make that happen so we can have access,” said Laurin. “We will also be working with our user groups to say maybe the coaches meet the kids at the front door. We did that in July last year.”
She said the one exception will be for children under eight entering the pool, which is an operational guideline for all swimming pools for child safety.
Coun. Ken Heemeryck said the REP seems to be the best of two evils at this point.
“I think the REP works best for our community,” said Heeemryck. “My biggest concern is the younger children and how they get from point A to point B. I think that can be handled with a sporting group fairly easily, someone could shuffle them through, but I think that would be a point of emphasis for me with any talks with the Province.”
Coun. Tanya Thorn also supported a trial of the REP, noting the Emergency Advisory Committee could meet again in a week to review and see whether it is working for the community.
It’s about providing services for the majority of residents, she said.
“Our facilities are designed to try to meet the needs of the maximum group of our community, and I don’t want us to lose the importance of access to recreation for all demographics of our community,” said Thorn.
Though Coun. Florence Christophers admitted it gave the Town the best chance to serve the most residents, she spoke against what the REP stands for, arguing there is a larger philosophical debate attached to its implementation, because it comes down to the Province mandating vaccination.
“If we go REP we are saying we’re going to work with the pressure that the Province is putting on everybody to get vaccinated, that is their agenda,” said Christophers. “They have given us this one-third but with this huge penalty where we’re pitting youth against adults and their needs and their ability to access our facilities.
“We’re pitting the vaccinated against the unvaccinated or the youth against the adults playing in our facilities.
“It’s completely crazy, the position we’re being put in.”
She urged residents who spoke out against the REP to the Town to send their communication on to MLA RJ Sigurdson and the Province, to lobby against the health orders.
