COVID-19 Updates and Resources

Message from Parksville Mayor Mayne

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to unfold in our country, the City’s focus is on preventing the spread of the virus, supporting our staff and maintaining essential services for our residents.

On behalf of Council, please know we do understand the impact this crisis must be having on our residents and the community. On behalf of Council and staff, I wish to express our gratitude to frontline health workers; we wish them well and please stay safe. We also wish to express our gratitude to those working in retail, for your efforts to ensure we can access the goods and services so important in our day-to-day lives. Please take a moment to thank them and please show empathy for the situation they find themselves.

City operations continue to be busy and Council meets regularly by teleconference to ensure we are able to provide important services to our residents. All levels of government are working to fight this virus and the City is committed to community well being and safety; here is what is currently in place to keep everyone safe:

• The Parksville Civic and Technology Centre is closed and only critical services continue.
• Park amenities are closed including playgrounds. Washrooms in our parks remain open with increased cleaning and disinfection.
• Non-essential businesses are closed and for those open, please take precautions to keep yourself, staff and customers safe. We see the difference you are making.
• Our bylaw officers and staff are in the community reminding people to keep a minimum of two metres distance between one another. The BC Government issued orders allowing municipal bylaw officers to support enforcement of public health orders for business closures and gatherings, in line with offences under the Public Health Act. Please report concerns to bylaw@parksville.ca or 250 954-4650.
• For assistance with municipal services, please call 250 248-6144 or email info@parksville.ca For the most recent information and updates, please refer to the City’s website and COVID-19 information page.

Council has confidence in our provincial government and Dr Bonnie Henry, Chief Medical Health Officer. We will get through this crisis by doing what is right to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The most important thing you can do is stay home as much as possible and only leave your property for essential trips to work and get food or medicines. Isolate yourself if sick or returning from another country, continue to wash your hands multiple times each day and regularly disinfect high touch surfaces. Respect physical distancing of at least two metres at all times, even outdoors.

Look after one another, stay in touch virtually and please do not put anyone in jeopardy. Put those hearts in your windows to let your neighbours know you are thinking about them. By staying home as much as possible, you are staying safe and by physical distancing you are protecting others.

Sincerely,

Mayor Ed Mayne

City of Parksville

19 Update City of Parksville

The City of Parksville is working to share information and operational updates as we continue to support efforts to prevent transmission of COVID-19 in our community and will continue to follow the direction provided by the BC Ministry of Health and Island Health. We wish our residents to know that going forward, most of the City’s communications to residents about COVID-19 will come through Emergency Management Oceanside which is operating the Level 1 Emergency Operations Centre on behalf of the City of Parksville and the Town of Qualicum Beach. Here are a few reminders for our residents: ONGOING CITY OPERATIONS City services continue to operate and with our offices closed to the public, please contact us by phone or email. Our main phone number is 250 248-6144 and info@parksville.ca. Direct department contact information may be found on the City's website. ADJUSTMENTS TO CITY FACILITIES DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC Washrooms in Foster Park, Community Park and Springwood Park remain open with reduced hours of 7.30 am to dusk. City offices are closed to the public and City meetings are closed to attendance by the public. Meetings may be viewed from webstreaming, live or archived. All playgrounds in the City are closed to use by the public. Community Park sports fields, racquet courts, lacrosse box and skateboard park are closed. Springwood Park sports fields, tennis courts, batting cage and off-leash dog park are closed. COVID-19 ENFORCEMENT SUPPORT The BC Government has issued orders that allow municipal bylaw officers to support enforcement of public health orders for business closures and gatherings, in line with offences under the Public Health Act. Please report concerns to the City of Parksville: bylaw@parksville.ca, 250 954-4650 For more information: Deb Tardiff, Manager of Communications dtardiff@parksville.ca

The City of Parksville is working to share information and operational updates as we continue to support efforts to prevent transmission of COVID-19 in our community and will continue to follow the direction provided by the BC Ministry of Health and Island Health. We wish our residents to know that going forward, most of the City’s communications to residents about COVID-19 will come through Emergency Management Oceanside which is operating the Level 1 Emergency Operations Centre on behalf of the City of Parksville and the Town of Qualicum Beach.

Here are a few reminders for our residents:

ONGOING CITY OPERATIONS

City services continue to operate and with our offices closed to the public, please contact us by phone or email. Our main phone number is 250 248-6144 and info@parksville.ca. Direct department contact information may be found on the City's website.

ADJUSTMENTS TO CITY FACILITIES DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC

• Washrooms in Foster Park, Community Park and Springwood Park remain open with reduced hours of 7.30 am to dusk.
• City offices are closed to the public and City meetings are closed to attendance by the public. Meetings may be viewed from webstreaming, live or archived.
• All playgrounds in the City are closed to use by the public.
• Community Park sports fields, racquet courts, lacrosse box and skateboard park are closed.
• Springwood Park sports fields, tennis courts, batting cage and off-leash dog park are closed.

COVID-19 ENFORCEMENT SUPPORT

The BC Government has issued orders that allow municipal bylaw officers to support enforcement of public health orders for business closures and gatherings, in line with offences under the Public Health Act.

Please report concerns to the City of Parksville:
bylaw@parksville.ca, 250 954-4650

For more information:

Deb Tardiff, Manager of Communications

March 27, 2020

What is physical distancing?

How can I practice physical distancing?

COVID-19 Update for Parksville-Qualicum Beach

Message from Mayor Mayne to Parksville Residents

Closure of All Parksville Playgrounds

Effective immediately and until further notice, all playgrounds in the City of Parksville are now closed to use by the public. This decision was made by the City to help stop the spread of COVID-19, protect our residents and encourage social distancing in our community.

COVID-19 Update from City of Parksville

We wish to assure our residents the City of Parksville continues to respond to the guidance and direction of the provincial and federal governments as it relates to COVID-19; this determines what actions are appropriate for our municipal government.

The medical health officer for Central Vancouver Island advised we should assume COVID-19 is now present in our region and knowing with some certainty that infections do exist in our community, we continue to be concerned for the well-being of our residents. We are constantly monitoring changing conditions, responding quickly to raise the level of safety and keep our residents informed as best we can. Although we have restricted access to our offices by the public, we continue to provide the services you rely on day-to-day and our website will continue to inform about services and options available for residents. https://letstalkparksville.ca/covid-19-information-and-resources.

It has been said, we should go about our daily lives as if we have the virus; thinking this way has the potential to significantly affect for the better, how we interact with our environment and with others.

We wish to thank our residents for all you are doing to remain vigilant, to slow the spread of this virus and respond to this crisis. Please be kind to one another and where possible, do what you can to help your neighbours. Do not hoard supplies; the province has assured everyone supply chains are at a healthy level and there are sufficient goods as needed. Hoarding reduces the ability of at-risk residents to obtain items as they need them.

As a community working together, we can lessen the severity and spread of the virus. If you are sick, stay home. The BC Centre for Disease Control website provides a self-assessment tool; medical information is available by calling all 8-1-1 and non-medical information may be obtained from 1 888 COVID19 (1 888-268-4319).

By acting appropriately, practicing the best possible personal hygiene and limiting your contact with others, you will help to limit the spread COVID-19 in order to avoid overloading our healthcare system.

For more information:

Deb Tardiff, Manager of Communications

dtardiff@parksville.ca

250 954-3073

COVID-19 Update from City of Parksville

We recognize there is a tremendous amount of information about COVID-19, including communications from the City of Parksville. To help prevent the spread of the virus and protect the health and wellbeing of our residents and staff, here’s what we are doing:

· Closely monitoring direction provided by local, provincial and federal health authorities. The City will take immediate action as directed by these agencies.

· Closing City offices and facilities to the public until further notice. City services continue to operate to support the community and maintain our core services such as water, sewer and fire.

· Cancelling or postponing City meetings and the closure of Council meetings to attendance by the public. Council meetings may be viewed through webcasting, either live or archived.

· Emergency program coordinators from Parksville and Qualicum Beach are working together and a Level 1 emergency operations centre has been activated.

· The City has identified essential functions and the people who perform them and are poised to make changes to operations should it be necessary.

· Keeping the public informed. Information is communicated directly to community groups, organizations, the media as well as through the City’s website and social media channels. We will continue to share information and operational updates. https://letstalkparksville.ca/covid-19-information-and-resources

· Activation of pandemic policies and pandemic communications strategy.

· Internal updates for staff. Every effort is being made to keep employees healthy. Increased hygiene includes sanitization, deep cleaning of offices as well as other measures.

· Scheduled conference calls with Island Health chief medical officer three times each week.

Here’s what you can do:

· If you have symptoms and may have been exposed to COVID-19, you must call your local primary care provider, or 811. Non-medical info, 7:30 am to 8 pm may be obtained from 1 888-COVID19 (1 888-268-4319)

· Continue to refer to trusted sources for information. The City provides general information and links at https://letstalkparksville.ca/covid-19-information-and-resources.

· Continue to practice safe social distancing and avoid all group gatherings. Please continue to be vigilant in reducing the risk and spread of COVID-19 - when coughing or sneezing, use a tissue or the sleeve of a shirt or jacket to cover the spread of droplets and most importantly, wash your hands multiple times a day.

· Hoarding is hurting more than it is helping. The province has assured everyone there are sufficient supplies and the supply chain is healthy.

Immediate Closure of City of Parksville Offices

The City is taking COVID-19 seriously and is making significant changes to protect the health and wellbeing of our community. Effective immediately and until further notice, City of Parksville offices will be closed to the public.

All critical services including fire, bylaw enforcement and City operations will continue to operate to support the community. The public may contact the City as follows:

General inquiries/after hours info@parksville.ca 250 248-6144

Administration/Bylaw administration@parksville.ca 250 954-3060

Building building@parksville.ca 250 954-3065

Finance finance@parksville.ca 250 248-6144

Engineering engineering@parksville.ca 250 951-2484

Operations ops@parksville.ca 250 248-5412

Planning planning@parksville.ca 250 954-4697

Mayor and Council council@parksville.ca 250 954-3060

Parksville Fire Department fire@parksville.ca 250 954-3242

(Non-emergency) As previously advised, the City has cancelled all non-essential meetings and all Council meetings are closed to attendance by the public. These measures have been taken out of an abundance of caution, a decision made by Mayor Ed Mayne.

For more information and media contact:

Deb Tardiff, Manager of Communications

dtardiff@parksville.ca

250 954-3073