The Municipality of Chatham-Kent is closing the doors of local facilities for rental and use by those from designated COVID-19 “red” or “lockdown” areas.
Effective immediately, the municipality of Chatham-Kent will not rent or allow the use of facilities by individuals from areas that have been placed in a high-risk designation.
Chatham-Kent Chief Administrative Officer Don Shropshire said the decision was made in based on consultation with the CK Public Health team.
“Our change in policy limits the efforts of those who are trying to avoid the public health restrictions in their areas by transferring their activities to CK,” Shropshire said. “The restrictions will apply to both existing bookings and future bookings, until their community’s COVID status improves.”
Earlier this week the municipality said it would not accept new bookings but would honour those already in existence. With the designation of Windsor-Essex as a “grey-lockdown” area that provision has been revoked.
“Windsor-Essex residents will not be permitted to book or use our facilities until their community’s COVID status improves,” Shropshire said. “Our changes respect the direction of the Provincial Government and Windsor-Essex’s Medical Officer of Health who has directed their residents to restrict their travel and to not participate in certain activities, including group sports in arenas.
Residents who live in other areas such as Lambton County, also in Yellow status, will be allowed to book CK facilities.
Bookings and use of the facilities by people who live outside of CK will be considered and may be restricted based on the direction their community’s Public Health authorities.
“We recognize that Chatham-Kent enjoys a high degree of integration with our neighbouring counties that includes shared membership in sports clubs and other community groups. While respecting this integration, we believe these changes are required to support and respect the directions from Public Health authorities who are making every effort to keep us safe and mitigate the impact of the pandemic,” Shropshire said.
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