Vaughan closes outside skating rinks, toboggan hills and canine parks

The City of Vaughan introduced on Friday that it’s closing its outside skating rinks, toboggan hills and canine parks in an effort to assist cease the unfold of COVID-19.

The announcement comes on the second day of a provincial stay-at-home order that has saved most winter outside actions open, in addition to playgrounds and parks.

Now some are questioning the logic behind this resolution, and others asking if different GTHA municipalities must be following swimsuit.

Mississauga, Brampton and Toronto officers have informed CityInformation they aren’t presently contemplating shutting down any outside facilities.

However, on Thursday Toronto Mayor John Tory mentioned the town would re-examine the problem.

Risks of getting COVID-19 throughout outside actions ‘negligible’

Dr. Isaac Bogoch, an infectious illness professional with the University Health Network (UHN), says Ontarians must put all the pieces into perspective on the subject of the private choices they make surrounding outside actions they’re keen to undertake “that align with the stay at home orders.”

“I think that if you’re outdoors and you’re physically distant from others, the risk of transmission of COVID-19, especially if people are masked in those settings, is negligible,” he mentioned. “I think it’s very reasonable to get outside and get some exercise, get some fresh air.”

Earlier this week, mayors and chairs from the 11 largest municipal governments throughout the GTHA all expressed their assist for further public well being measures mandated by the province, together with solely leaving the home for necessities actions that embrace train.

When requested at a press convention earlier this week, Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health Dr. Eileen de Villa mentioned there needed to be steadiness when making choices about closing outside actions resembling toboggan hills and skating rinks, citing psychological well being advantages of outside train.

But Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua mentioned the choice for the most recent closures was based mostly on what they know in the mean time to be true in regards to the quick unfold of COVID-19.

“When you look at the message that the province has been given and the message has been to stay home, essentially the numbers are skyrocketing where we’re facing essentially a crisis here,” he mentioned. “And so, you know, you need to do all that you can to reduce the transmission of COVID-19. And when you get large gatherings of people, you’re actually increasing (risk).”