City Manager's COVID report, outlines current measures and plans for future reopening of services

City Manager Robert Long provided
a COVID update for Council on Monday

For the moment, while the Province may be prepared to Restart BC, Prince Rupert will be taking a more stay the course approach it seems, with the City of Prince Rupert continuing to explore how it will return to more normal service options.

Those themes made for much of the narrative from City Manager Robert Long on Monday evening as he provided for the thumbnail guide to the city's measures and ongoing efforts during the COVID period.

Much of the focus was put towards how the City will be changing its approach to public access, with the City exploring the prospect of shifting to an appointment only process for those looking to deal with civic staffers on permits and other elements of day to day operations.

We explore those plans in more detail here.

As for the level of service that is in place at the moment, Mr. Long outlined some of the extra measures the city has put in place for the safety of their employees, with Personal Protection equipment installed in service vehicles and other elements to safeguard city workers.

Mr. Long noted that for the most part all of the operational services continue to operate, with infrastructure issues addressed as they come up and other work continuing on.

According to City Manager Robert Long the Cow Bay
Marina facility is now closed to travellers

He also observed that the Cow Bay Marina has been closed, though he did not note when that decision had been made, so far however, any indication that the facility is closed has not made it the Cow Bay Marina website or Facebook page.

As for civic staff employment and duties, the City Manager did note that at the moment, many of Civic Staff are still working from home.

Councillor Cunningham had some follow up questions on Monday night, asking which services were not underway at the moment.

In reply, Mr Long noted that some Civic programs however remain suspended, including the ability to open Parks and Recreation facilities.

"Most of the services that aren't are the ones that have been mandated not, for us not to be able to do around Recreation. The other ones, all of the services we're doing the services but we're doing them in a different way ... obviously the guys in the trenches have to use their PPE, people driving around in pick up trucks we've installed plexiglass in the trucks, those kinds of things. Other than specifically recreation, that's the only thing that we're mandated not and opening parks, that we've been mandated not to be able to do" -- City Manager Robert Long

Towards progress on those recreation areas, he observed that the City's Recreation Director David Geronazzo continues to discuss the subject with provincial officials and that the city will be following their guidance as to opening those facilities and how they may do that.

Mr. Long did note that the Recreation workers have continued to make cloth masks and this week have also been out and about collecting litter around town as they take a break from the mask production, which to this point has delivered up to 1,000 masks.

At Monday's Council session, City Manager Robert Long advised that
public parks like Mariners Park will remain closed pending further
instruction from the province

Councillor Adey also had some comments and questions on the theme of Parks and a potential return to service, making note of the BC Restart program and the timelines the province has put in place, with the Councillor asking as to what kind of planning the City is involved in towards local openings in the areas of parks, sports, museums and libraries.

"So I guess my question is, I'm hearing that it's a no go for some of those things now, I'm just not sure that we don't need to put some thought into what may come as early as later this week"-- Councillor Nick Adey on Civic reopening plans

In reply, Mr. Long noted that the City is doing a lot of planning and reinforced the ongoing communication with the province.

"Clearly we're doing a lot of planning and David is on one of the provincial agencies Parks and Recreation Association ... which are working closely with the Provincial Government as to what the actual program looks like. So we're in the planning stage, but I think it will be awhile, I 'm not sure if it will be the 15th, there was a lot of confusion about what came out lately as to what exactly it meant.  So that's why David has been working with his provincial agencies and getting ready to do what's necessary. So we're doing the planning but I wouldn't want people to get the feeling that we're going to be able to do too much until the province authorizes that and until there is a clear plan to open parks we're not authorized to do it" -- City Manager Robert Long

As for local sports groups and their programs, Mr. Long noted that each individual organization will be examining how they wish to restart their programs, with such groups as hockey and soccer's provincial agencies to decide what is appropriate and how it will take place.

Councillor Adey made note of the value of the COVID updates and asked that they continue on as part of council proceedings through the course of the pandemic response.

You can review his full COVID report from the City's Video Archive starting at the 11 minute mark.




For more notes related to Monday's Council Session see our Council Timeline Feature here.

More items of interest on Council Discussion themes can be reviewed from our archive page here.