COVID-19 Update: Updates from the City of Hamilton - Sep. 08, 2020

HAMILTON, ON - Today the City of Hamilton is providing some additional updates as part of the City’s continued efforts for a gradual, safe and measured reopening of municipal facilities and the restart of programs and services.

NEW FROM HAMILTON REOPENS

Community Groups Operating in City Facilities
The City of Hamilton owns several facilities where external user groups typically operate and offer various types of programming. The City is working closely with these groups to ensure reopenings in these facilities are safe and meet all of the health and safety requirements before programming may resume. As we continue our efforts to safely reopen facilities, the Emergency Operations Centre will continue to review and approve individual requests for reopening, and once the user groups return to in-person operations, the City will monitor to ensure compliance with the health and safety requirements.

Some Seniors Centres & Clubs Reopening
The City has been working closely with the boards for various seniors centres and clubs in Hamilton to determine reopening plans and gauge interest in resuming programming. In collaboration with the City, the boards have voted on the capacity, ability and interest to return fall programming. The following boards have chosen to resume limited programming:

• Dundas Senior Club (September 15)
• Sackville Senior Centre (October 5)
• Warden Senior’s Club (October 5)
• Winona Senior’s Club (October 5)

All other boards have chosen to remain closed for the fall season, and will reconsider reopening in January 2021.

Museum Reopenings
Beginning September 30, the City will reopen three additional museums. This includes Battlefield House Museum & Park National Historic Site, Fieldcote Memorial Park & Museum and Ancaster Old Town Hall. Modified services and programming will be available and visitors and staff will be required to follow all public health advice including physical distancing and wearing masks or face coverings. In July, the City reopened Dundurn Castle and Kitchen Garden, Hamilton Military Museum and the Hamilton Museum of Steam & Technology. All other museums will remain closed at this time.

All Hamilton civic museums are accepting bookings for events beginning January 2021.

Business Licensing Services to Resume at City Hall
In mid-July, the City reopened the first and second floors City Hall and began offering limited planning and building services on the first floor. Beginning September 16, in-person business licensing services will be available at City Hall between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on Wednesdays only.

Animal Services
Hamilton Animal Services has continued to operate through the pandemic, though the public counter at 247 Dartnall Road has been closed since early March. The public counter and lobby area of Animal Services will reopen to allow for public access. Residents will be able to visit in person to purchase dog licenses, recover lost animals, surrender a pet or adopt a pet. Appointments are encouraged and the public will not be permitted to access the shelter beyond the lobby. www.hamilton.ca/animals-pets

Public Health Vaccine Clinics
Hamilton Public Health will resume community clinics for vaccinations on a limited availability, for clients with pre-booked appointments. Residents wishing to book an appointment for a community vaccine clinic can visit www.hamilton.ca/public-health/clinics-services/community-vaccine-clinics or call 905-540-5250. The vaccine clinics are for grade 7 students who missed their school vaccine clinics (Hepatitis B, HPV and Meningococcal A, C, Y, W135) and for people who do not have a health card. 

Clinics are located at:

• Mountain Clinic 891 Upper James Street, Unit 106A. Hamilton 
• East End Clinic 247 Centennial Parkway North, Unit 8, Stoney Creek

Gatherings and Social Visits
With the increase in gatherings and socializing, it is important for residents to stay diligent and continue to practice public health management measures in order to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 in our community. These measures include:

• Washing hands frequently with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds;
• Staying home if sick, self-isolating from others and getting tested;
• Keeping a physical distance of at least two metres from others in your group, unless they are household members or in your social circle of 10;
• Wearing a mask or face covering in an enclosed space, especially in settings where it is difficult to maintain a physical distance from others;
• Meeting up outside and keeping gathering times short; and
• Taking extra precautions if people are elderly or have chronic health conditions.

Recreation Programming: Registration

Last month, the City announced the reopening of additional recreational facilities and restart of some swimming and other recreational programming. Beginning September 14, the City will restart more swimming programming, including open swims for families and seniors. We will also begin open gym programming. On October 5, we will restart some modified swimming lessons, sports and fitness programs, general interest and preschool programs and select rentals of recreation spaces. Visit www.hamilton.ca/recreation for more information.

City Keeping Office Workers at Home until at least January 2021
The City’s Senior Leadership Team and the Emergency Operations Centre have decided that, wherever possible, City of Hamilton office staff will continue working from home until at least January 2021. Public Health officials consider working in an office environment to be a medium to high-risk activity because it happens indoors, involves long periods in an enclosed space, is likely to have many high-touch surfaces, allows for prolonged close contact between individuals, and has the potential for clustering of people. We can avoid some of these risks by limiting the number of people inside City workplaces and can keep those staff who do need to come into the office to do their jobs as safe as possible.

“With a new school year beginning and as more programs and services are restarting, we must be mindful that the virus is still out there. The recent increase in COVID-19 cases means we all have to remain vigilant as a community to stop the spread of this virus. That includes wearing a mask in indoor spaces, keeping a physical distance from others, washing our hands often and sanitizing frequently touched surfaces. Thank you, Hamilton, for continuing to do your part during this crisis to keep yourself, your family, your co-workers and your neighbours safe.”

-Mayor Fred Eisenberger

Additional Resources

• hamilton.ca/coronavirus
• hamilton.ca/reopens
• covid-19.ontario.ca
• Public Health Services’ COVID-19 Hotline: 905-974-9848 or [email protected]