Outdoor pools to reopen, sports to resume

Province entering Phase 4 Monday

SASKATOON People in Saskatchewan can take the plunge on Monday, now that outdoor pools and sports have the nod to reopen and resume.

The provincial government announced on Tuesday that the first part of the fourth phase of reopening will begin on Monday with outdoor pools, spray parks, outdoor sports and youth day camps permitted.

The date for the second part of Phase 4 is expected to be announced next week. That part includes indoor facilities, including pools, casinos, galleries, museums, theatres and libraries.

Also on Monday, the limit for indoor gatherings rises to 30 people, provided people from different households can remain two metres apart.

“The goal is to open up as much as we possibly can, but do so safely,” Premier Scott Moe said on Tuesday at the provincial pandemic briefing.

Once Phase 4 is implemented, only Phase 5 remains from the reopening plan first announced by the province on April 23. Phase 5 includes the lifting of long-term restrictions and a possible increase in gathering sizes. Moe said he expects all reopening dates to be announced this month.

The announcement comes the day after the province recorded 18 new cases, the largest spike by far in more than three weeks. Only one new case was reported on Tuesday, in the Saskatoon region, bringing the total reported cases to 684.

Active cases are now at 40, including 22 in the far north and 13 in the Saskatoon region. Many of the far north cases are linked to a wake and funeral on the Clearwater River Dene Nation last week.

The province’s chief medical health officer, Dr. Saqib Shahab, said about seven of the Saskatoon cases are linked to international travel and subsequent exposure within households.

Three cases are still under investigation, he added.

“There aren’t pop-up cases happening all over the city, which is important,” Shahab said.

No new cases have been linked to protest rallies, including a Black Lives Matter march on June 4 with an estimated 4,000 people in downtown Saskatoon, Shahab said.

Some municipalities have indicated to the province that pools may remain closed past Monday, according to a news release.

The new rules for outdoor pools stipulate that people will need to remain two metres apart even while in the pool.

Moe joked that the rules preclude him from taking part in synchronized swimming.

Phase 4 was originally presented as a single phase, but was split into two parts by the province.

Shahab reminded people to maintain two metres of physical distance despite the increase in gathering sizes.

“Now, if you truly want to physically distance you can’t have more than four people in an indoor living room,” he said.

Even outdoors, each person needs four square metres, so a large space is needed, he added.