City of Brandon Planning Modified Parks & Recreation Services Summer Programming

Brandon, MB – With Phase Two of the Province of Manitoba’s Restoring Safe Services Roadmap for Recovery set to come into effect on Monday, June 1^st, the City of Brandon’s Emergency Response Control Group and Parks & Recreation Services staff are currently examining how it may deliver modified summer parks & recreation programming in a way that ensures the safety of the public and municipal staff.  As per the Manitoba Government’s Phase Two list of allowable services and amenities, City of Brandon Parks & Recreation staff are currently working out plans to be able to:

Ø  offer pre-registration day camps for youth;

Ø  allow for outdoor sport fields to be booked by sports organizations that can operate in accordance with Sport Manitoba-approved Return To Play protocols;

Ø  provide a modified outdoor aquatics program in the community;

Ø  re-establish use of the Sportsplex’s ice arena for bookings that can operate in accordance with Sport Manitoba-approved Return To Play protocols

Details and timelines on the roll-out of the above noted programming will be communicated in the coming weeks. Operation of the Sportsplex pool and the Brandon Youth Centre program are not being considered as part of the City’s Phase Two implementation, but will be re-assessed for re-opening at a later date.

However, due to the continued provincial restrictions and identified staffing constraints, the City of Brandon can confirm it is unable to offer the following summer programs in 2020:

Ø  Youth Activity Centres (YAC) programming;

Ø  Music in the Parks outdoor concert series;

Ø  Brandon in Bloom programming/Open Garden tours;

Ø  Heritage Brandon Doors Open tours

Parks & Recreation Services remains committed to the maintenance of City greenspaces, parks and trees; however, lower than normal staffing levels and budget constraints have necessitated the need for a modified schedule for such that may not be as prompt or as frequent as the community has become accustomed to. As such, management and staff ask for the public’s patience as it works to safely undertake these seasonal responsibilities.

For more information on Parks & Recreation Services modified summer programming and service delivery, please call 204-729-2148 or email parks@brandon.ca or recreation@brandon.ca.

(City of Brandon News Release)