People working out at the Family Leisure Centre Friday afternoon. (CHAT News photo)

By Alex McCuaig

Enhanced public health measure in effect

Things you can still do in the Hat

Nov 27, 2020 | 5:07 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – The gloomy news this week of restrictions on activities due to rising COVID-19 numbers in Alberta shouldn’t dissuade Hatters from looking to a whole range of things to do in the city, says Medicine Hat’s director of emergency management.

On Friday, the full suite of enhanced measures took effect for at least the next three weeks. But the city took the decision to keep what it could open taking into account those restrictions, says Merrick Brown.

The galleries at the Esplanade are still open, you can still skate, swim and exercise at the Family Leisure Centre – all with some measures to ensure public safety.

“I do encourage people to explore the local businesses, our local activities because you will find something that you’ll like,” said Brown. “Things are still open just with capacity limits and controls in place.”

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One such business is Baking with Candice located on the Southeast Hill.

Owner Candice Funk said after a flurry of phone calls to find out if she could still off in-person classes, the answer came back in the affirmative.

“I have some couples nights where they come and they cook and they use all their own utensils and I also have some parenting classes which I brought down to six kids and parents so that I keep the 25 per cent occupancy and I also have some adult cookie decorating classes,” said Funk.

Those classes are filling up fast but Funk says she has cookie decorating kits as well as gingerbread that can be taken home.

For Family Leisure Centre fitness coordinator Ed Stiles, anything which keeps a person active has a benefit – both physical and especially mentally in these days of added stress.

“It breaks my heart when we can’t get our exercise in and so it’s wonderful to see in the outdoor world people cross-country skiing in the Cypress Hills,” said Stiles. “The more people that are active, the better our community is.”

Both Cypress Hills Provincial Park and Police Point Park say the new public health measures will not affect access to their respective rental equipment.

The city is also encouraging people to take part in its Adopt-A-Rink program and is looking for volunteers to help maintain outdoor rinks this winter.