Thompson’s mayor and council have voted to close all city operated play ground structures to the public at Monday night’s meeting due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

City Manager Anthony McInnis clarified that the play ground areas themselves would still be opened, but the play structures will be barricaded off from public use.

 

McInnis adds that while there won’t be active enforcement of ensuring that people stay off the structures, but if there is a report of someone not following the measures, the city can then enforce the closure.

 

The city says there are currently plans to keep both the Millennium Trail and the dog park open in an effort to have as many recreational activities available in the city as possible.

 

However, McInnis says there are discussions talking place at the provincial level as to whether dog parks should be kept open during this time.

 

Thompson’s city council has also approved to receive emergency funding from the federal government for the city’s response for the vulnerable population’s risk of contracting COVID-19.

 

The Government of Canada’s Reaching Home program has set aside two hundred thousand dollars for the fiscal year for people experiencing and at risk of homelessness in Thompson.

 

The city says the funding will be used to address homelessness in downtown Thompson, and are planning with the both federal and provincial governments as how to use that money in the community.

 

McInnis says Thompson is considering using the Polaris buildings as a way to protect the homeless population in the long term, but inspections of the buildings have shown that they require extensive work before they can be used.

 

In the short term, the city has been in contact with two different hostels or hotels that may be able to host people experiencing homelessness.

 

McInnis goes on to say that the additional funding will not be enough to address homelessness during the pandemic in our community, and the city has told the federal government that more funding will be needed to better respond to the situation in Thompson.

 

He explains the city has money from the usual Reaching Home fund that needs to be approved for spending, and that they will also be applying for community grants.