Scugog lays out latest municipal impact from provincial rule changes

DAN CEARNS, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, for The Standard

SCUGOG: The Township of Scugog is adapting, following the province issuing a new state of emergency and a stay at home order early last week.

On Thursday January 14th, the township issued a press release outlining the changes being implemented.

“All Township of Scugog public facilities will remain closed and in-person programs and events have been cancelled until further notice. All other municipal services will remain available through drop-box, telephone, email and virtual meetings. Various Recreation and Culture programs are now available online,” the press release read.

The township plans to have their bylaw officers “increase regular patrols in no parking zones” and in “recreation areas, to ensure people are not gathering in groups of more than five people.” Under the state of emergency, bylaw officers have “been given additional authority to issue tickets to individuals, who do not comply with the stay-at-home-order, or those not wearing a mask or face covering indoors, as well as retail operators and companies who do not enforce COVID-19 orders.”

Scugog has postponed all of the inspection requests for occupied buildings and has stated all “structural inspections on unoccupied buildings will be inspected on site with only the inspector in the building.”

Indoor sports at the Scugog Community Recreation Centre is also affected by the new provincial rules.

“Ice surfaces will be pulled from the facility and all ice programming cancelled,” the press release stated. “Additionally, no indoor public and social gatherings are permitted. Outdoor public and social gatherings are limited to a maximum of five people, and will impact recreation areas in the community such as, but not limited to, informal or personal skating rinks, toboggan hills, parks, playgrounds and the off-leash dog park.”

Mayor Bobbie Drew, in a statement, called on residents to do their part to slow the spread of COVID-19.

“I urge residents to please follow the province’s stay-at-home order. Additional measures are necessary at this time to further protect the community, reduce the spread of the virus, and ensure our health system has the capacity to treat people in need of assistance, including those who have non- Covid health issues. Enforcement measures should be a last resort. I know our community will continue to band together, to be respectful of the rules and of each other. My thoughts are with the residents of Port Perry Place, the patients in hospital, those who have succumbed to this virus, the families and the health care workers that care for them each day. I thank all front line workers and ask that we continue to follow the rules for their sake.”

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