Parks and Recreation

COVID-19 Recreation Updates

The following information will be reviewed again once guidelines for stage two and three are announced by the Province of Alberta. We will provide more information at that time.

Summer Programs

Under the guidance of the Provincial Government and Alberta Health Services the Town of Strathmore is cancelling all previously planned summer programs for 2020.  This includes Child, Youth and Family HUB Camps, Fire Services Camps, and Recreation programming at the Aquatic Centre and Sports Centre. If you have previously registered for a Town of Strathmore program, we will contact you in the next few weeks regarding reimbursement. 

All of our programs and facilities must comply with public health guidelines for COVID-19. For summer camps that means that cohorts can't share washrooms, and staffing levels must be higher as well.

For some  municipalities or program providers, their facilities are much larger or  set up differently and can accommodate these new guidelines. For Strathmore, it means we need to be more creative with how we are developing new programs. We are currently looking at how best to use the Strathmore Motor Products Sports Centre to increase the number of cohorts we can offer thanks to the centre's larger facilities. Providing affordable, quality programs for our community is a priority for the Town of Strathmore. 

Indoor Recreation Facilities

Due to the potential for large gatherings within indoor, closed air spaces, indoor recreation facilities within the Town of Strathmore will not open until Stage 3 of the Government of Alberta relaunch strategy. The launch of Stage 3 will not be announced until Stage 1 and Stage 2 are deemed successful. These facilities include:

• Strathmore Aquatic Centre
• Strathmore Family Centre
• Strathmore Motor Products Sports Centre
• The Strathmore, Child, Youth and Family Hub
• Curling Rink
• Civic Centre

Outdoor Sports Facilities

Some outdoor sports facilities have remained open with restrictions and guidelines that users must follow. Immediate household members can play small games together. Organized team sport is restricted in stage one.

COVID-19 basketball court rules:

• One person/one ball per court
• Bring your own basketball and do not leave it at the court

COVID-19 outdoor rink rules:

• One person per side
• Bring your own hockey/ringette/lacrosse stick and pucks/balls/rings
• Do not enter the other side of the rink if someone else is playing
• If a puck/ball/ring enters your side of the rink do not touch, use your stick

Some outdoor facilities will remain closed, but will be reviewed again by June 5, 2020

Excluded outdoor facilities will reopen 8am, June 5, 2020: 

• Tennis courts
• The Town of Strathmore Skateboard Park

Community Green Spaces

Green spaces allow for physical distancing and are open air spaces. Therefore, they have remained open to the public. Green spaces will remain open; however, physical distancing measures must be followed in the spaces. Green spaces include:

• Parks within Strathmore

Outdoor Sports Facilities

Outdoor sports fields provide a safe space for immediate household members to play small games together. Outdoor sports fields will be open during Stage 1, with restrictions. Only immediate household members can play on the outdoor sports fields and teams cannot use the outdoor sports fields to practice, play or gather. Outdoor Sports Facilities include:

• Baseball diamonds
• Soccer fields
• Basketball courts
• Tennis courts
• Track and field facilities
• The Town of Strathmore Skateboard Park

Pathways, Parks and Community Green Spaces

Green spaces allow for physical distancing and are open air spaces. Therefore, they have remained open to the public. Pathways, parks and green spaces require physical distancing conditions to be maintained.

Outdoor sports fields such as baseball diamonds, track and field facilities and soccer fields are considered green spaces. Immediate household members can play small games together. Organized sport is not allowed at this time, meaning teams cannot use the outdoor sports fields to practice, play or gather.

To address community comments about the increased number of people on the paths, and the need to maintain physical distancing, we turned to our partners for help. The Western Irrigation District (WID) has usable walking paths alongside the canal. This adds over ten kilometres of unpaved walking trails across our community for people to enjoy. Trails along the Strathmore Golf Course are open to walking traffic. Please watch for crossing golf carts.

• View the entire system map here.

  

Community Meeting Facilities

Community meeting spaces create an environment where physical distancing may not be maintained. However, essential gatherings are different from non-essential gatherings. Essential gatherings such as funerals and weddings can be held outdoors during Stage 1, as long as these events do not exceed fifty people and physical distancing is maintained. 

For more information on gatherings visit:  www.alberta.ca/restrictions-on-gatherings.aspx

Meetings are considered non-essential gatherings and will not be permitted in community meeting facilities until Stage 2. Community meeting facilities include:

• The Strathmore Civic Centre

Playground Equipment

All public playground equipment within Strathmore will reopen 8am, June 5, 2020. 

Explore our Parks and Pathways!

Strathmore's Parks Department strives to provide parks, open spaces and pathways that enrich the leisure needs and quality of life for citizens. With over 50km of pathways, including a paved loop around the beautiful Kinsmen Park and the wetlands at Gray's Park, families and running enthusiasts enjoy a scenic route every day. Download the S'more Paths App from the Apple App Store today to track your route through town.