LAC LA BICHE - As part of the provincial re-launch, Lac La Biche County officials re-opened their municipal offices this week — but recreation facilities like the Bold Center and swimming pools remain closed to public activity.
The June 1 re-opening has also featured a new location for residents to pay bills and seek in-person queries. A new office on the main floor of McArthur Place is now open to pay bills and taxes. While the new office is open, municipal official still advise the public to use online and telephone banking and support when possible. For anyone going to the county office, COVID-19 protocols are in place and will be enforced, says Lac La Biche' County's communications manager Jihad Moghrabi.
"We will only be letting so many people into the building at one time, and we want residents to listen to the staff," said Moghrabi, adding that an extension on the deadline to pay municipal taxes to July 31 this year will help to space out the visits.
Closing the municipal offices — and the decision to re-open them is all based on health and well-being precautions from provincial officials, says Lac La Biche County interim CAO Ken Van Buul.
Provincial health officials lay the ground-rules and municipalities follow.
"We can be behind them, but we can't be in front of them," Van Buul told the POST last week, explaining that even with public pressure to open facilities and programming, municipal officials are tied to provincial guidelines. "It's Alberta Health — if they say we can't, we won't."
And in the coming months, the number of items on that 'can't and won't' list will grow until the province gives the go-ahead.
"We did have to cancel the Canada Day fireworks," said recreation and community enhancement manager Darrell Lessmeister, adding that floating docks at the Lac La Biche 'big dock' boat launch will not be put out, the splash park will not open, indoor activities at the Bold Center continue to be suspended, water fountains and porta-potties at municipal facilities will not be in operation, and the lifejacket stations at area lakes will not be in operation, until health guidelines change. While the lifejacket stations won't be operating in parks and at area lakes, lifejackets can still be borrowed over-the-counter at municipal offices.
Plans to open
While programming and facilities remain impacted by social distancing protocols associated with the COVID -19 pandemic, municipal officials have been creative in their efforts to continue many services to residents.
"We are going to be starting outdoor fitness programs," said Lessmeister, listing the possibility of organized biking groups, yoga and aerobic classes taking place outside and around the Bold Center. "We are trying to keep residents active to work on their mental health as well as their physical health."
Some of those programs could begin as soon as the middle of June.
Virtual programming from the municipality's Family and Community Supports Services have been running throughout the pandemic, with more planned in the coming months. The municipality's Park and Play Fun Van program for children is also expected to start up — on a reduced schedule with social distancing and maximum participant regulations — in the coming weeks. Drive-in movie nights are also on the future plans for Lessmeister, with shows planned in Lac La Biche for August and in Plamondon in December.
Calling it a "daunting task" Lessmeister says his staff are doing the best to balance community needs with overall public safety.
"We want to makes sure we are meeting the needs of the community, while at the same time being really, really careful," he told the POST.
Baseball diamonds in the municipality are now open for public use — but not for organized games. Like the planned fitness and children's programs, social distancing and participant numbers are still restricted. Lessmeister says a rental kiosk in McArthur Park is expected to open this summer, providing kayak rentals and other recreation essentials. Playgrounds in the municipality have also remained open during the pandemic, with Lessmeister saying that municipal staff have been providing regular cleaning and maintenance on the structures.
Summer ice for hockey and figure skating is not expected until at least August — if at all, says Lessmeister, falling back to the provincial guidelines showing all recreation facilities remaining closed to the public until Phase 3 of the provincial re-launch.
With phase 2 of the re-launch officially expected in the coming days, Lac La Biche County officials say they are doing the best they can to maintain health and safety standards for staff and residents — with the information they are given.
"If we could send one wish to the province, it would be to give us a bit more lead time," said Van Buul, explaining that even with extensive planning for various scenarios, it can be challenging and frustrating to "wait for further instructions."
"We understand that this is all frustrating to the residents. It is to us as well. Nothing is released in advance to us. When the public has the information, we have the information."
When the province announced the first phase of the provincial relaunch in mid-May, allowing businesses to re-open, Van Buul said his staff were still making sure that personal protective equipment was available for all workers, that staff who had been working from home or doing other tasks were re-assigned, and that social distancing measures were in place at all locations.
"We needed all of this time to prepare," he said, hoping that residents understand the situation municipal officials are in. "For the most part, we think the public gets it, and for that we are certainly thankful for their patience and understanding. I know they are antsy — we all are — to get back to how it was, and we want to try to make everything as normal as it can be."
The Lac La Biche County's municipal re-launch plan can be found at www.laclabichecounty.com
*This article was updated on June 1 at 3 pm. to clarify that floating platforms at the 'big dock' area will not be installed. Other area boat launches do still have docking areas.
