Warmer temperatures have brought an increase in traffic and public gatherings to Black Diamond and Turner Valley, prompting officers to do their due diligence to ensure people are keeping their distance.
Black Diamond senior peace officer Jim Berry said he’s noticing people congregating in parking lots and at picnic tables outside restaurants the past couple of weeks, a behaviour that’s become concerning as COVID-19 cases in Alberta near the 6,000 mark.
“Weekends are the worst,” he said. “It all depends on the weather. When the sun shines people are out and about.”
Certain areas have become congregational hotspots, said Berry, especially those with picnic tables. As a result, caution tape has been put up at some locations to deter people from disobeying the Province’s social distancing regulations implemented in March to prevent the spread of COVID-19, which has claimed more than 100 lives in Alberta.
“They’ve stopped at a couple of local restaurants that have areas where they can congregate,” he said. “People will get ice cream and sit at the picnic tables near the establishment or in the parking lot. If you’re in a vehicle, have your conversation from your window six feet away.”
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On the other hand, Berry has noticed a higher rate of compliance in the town’s recreational areas with people keeping their distance at the off leash dog park and minimal gatherings at outdoor recreational facilities.
“There were a couple of minor issues at the skateboard park area where parks and rec staff had to tell kids to leave in the day time, but at night time I haven’t found anybody out there,” he said. “All in all, 85 per cent of the people are doing what they’re supposed to do.”
The majority of people Berry addresses are visitors to Black Diamond, yet he has responded to the occasional gathering at residences.
“We probably had four birthday parties in Black Diamond where people had fire pits going and were congregating,” he said. “People are definitely going stir crazy. We know it’s a tough time.”
Berry said he’s currently focusing on education and hasn’t issued any $1,200 fines for those violating social distancing regulations.
“Most of the people I’m dealing with are responsible adults and if they can’t make the right decision I have a hard time telling grown adults they can’t do stuff,” he said. “It’s hard for one person to tell 10 to 15 adults they can’t be doing what they’re doing. There’s just not enough enforcement and once they realize that they just go where they want.”
In addition to Berry’s patrols, the Town is receiving complaints from citizens about people not complying.
Some reports left Berry scratching his head.
“Some of the things people are complaining about are just over the top like kids putting chalk on sidewalks in front of homes,” he said.
The Town of Turner Valley has also been fielding complaints from citizens concerned about people violating social distancing regulations.
“They’re calling about neighbours talking across the fence or people stopping at the end of the driveway,” said chief administrative officer Todd Sharpe. “It's completely acceptable, we’re just asking if you’re talking over the fence or in the driveway you maintain that six-feet distance. We want people to be neighbourly, we want them to use this time to reconnect and find that community connectedness.”
Like Black Diamond, no one has been handed the $1,200 social distancing violation fee in Turner Valley as of yet, Sharpe said.
“That’s the last thing we want to do,” he said. “We don’t want to be writing a whole bunch of expensive tickets during these economic difficult times. It’s still an option for us if education is not working.”
The recent influx in tourism traffic has increased enforcement since the weather turned warm, but Sharpe said it’s been manageable.
“The vast majority are maintaining social distancing, especially the locals,” he said. “We’re glad visitors are checking out our town and have interest in Turner Valley, but we really ask that they respect the social distancing while they’re in town.”
Sharpe said officers have noticed an increase of group gatherings in parking lots along Main Street in the recent weeks.
“With the provincial regulations and all the closures, people are looking for something to do so they’re getting in their cars and driving,” he said. “With Turner Valley being such a scenic location right at the base of Kananaskis the traffic is much higher so we’re seeing people stop in town, get an ice cream from the gas station or stop in the park.”
While Sharpe said it’s nice to see people choosing Turner Valley as a destination community, he expects all visitors to comply with provincial social distancing regulations.
“We’re a warm and welcoming town and we love the visitors, but what we’re asking is that people continue to maintain their distance,” he said. “It’s really difficult for municipal enforcement staff to know whether you’re all in the same family or a group of friends.”
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