COVID-19 Status Update

May 07, 2020

To aid in resident's understanding of Hinton Emergency Operation Centre, Hinton Town Council, and Town of Hinton Administration responses to the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic event, this update gathers recent news into one document. While emergent issues and information will continue to be shared as necessary, weekly updates going forward will use this format to gather, but also distinguish between, actions in place in the community.

Physical Distancing and Cleaning Practices Must Continue

It is essential that residents and businesses understand that suppression activities, in particular maintaining safe distances, must be maintained.

If not maintained, transmission will rapidly rebound, potentially producing an epidemic comparable in scale to what would have been seen had no interventions been adopted.

The Town, and Province, need your help to continue to restrict your activities in the interest of community health. Distancing, hand washing, and sanitizing is absolutely crucial.

Residents, businesses, and visitors choosing to remain non-compliant on physical distancing or cleaning parameters can, and should, anticipate fines being levied directly moving forward.

We are all in this together, in the effort of protecting our most vulnerable.

Hinton Emergency Operations Centre

SOLE Extended
Today (May 07, 2020), the Town of Hinton Emergency Operations Centre and Mayor Marcel Michaels signed a renewal for the Town of Hinton's COVID-19 State of Local Emergency.

The EOC is currently in the process of reviewing local SOLE restrictions to prepare and plan for their phased removal as it is safe to do so. Details on this plan will be shared early next week.

Hinton Reopened Plan Now Available

On Tuesday (May 05, 2020), the Hinton Emergency Advisory Committee reviewed and approved the release of the Town of Hinton - Reopened Document. Created by the Emergency Operations Centre based on our local plan and Provincial direction, the document reiterates provincial parameters and details items strategized for revision between now and May 14, the Provinces identified timeline for Stage One of the Public Health Order Reopening.

Find the document here.

Page 4 of reopening document

We are now in Phase 1 (May 4-14)

This phase will allow some businesses and services to reopen and resume operations with two metre physical distancing requirements and other public health guidance in place.

This includes:

Post secondary institutions will continue to deliver courses however how programs are delivered whether online in -person or blended will depend on what restrictions remain in place at the time of relaunch. *
Retail businesses such as clothing, furniture, and book stores *
Some personal services such as hairstyling and barber shops *
Museums and art galleries *
More scheduled surgeries and dental procedures *
Physical therapy, chiropractic, optometry, and similar services *
Daycares with limited occupancy *
Removal of SOLE under consideration
Re-opening of play structures and skate park
- Will be considered use at own risk
Summer camps with limits on occupancy. (This could include summer school.)*
Rules and guidance for the use of masks in crowded spaces, especially on transit. *
Dine-in restaurants , cafes, lounges and bars to 50per cent capacity*
Nightclubs, Movie Theatres, gyms, pools, recreation centres and arenas will remain closed. *
Public attendance at businesses, facilities and events that have close physical contact will not be permitted, including*:
arts and culture festivals, major sporting events and concerts*

* = Items of provincial jurisdiction, subject to provincial decision (read more here)

The above reopenings have not yet occured.
Please await further information from the province regarding parameters for reopening.

Business with questions regarding reopening parameters particular to their business are encourage to contact BizConnect@gov.ab.ca

Group Restriction Removed
The group restriction of 5 in place locally as part of our State of Local Emergency has been removed. The Provincial limit of 15 with social distancing in place remains in effect, and will be enforced.

Parking Lots Reopening
The Provincial Operations Centre has determined that reopening the Municipal Park parking is an acceptable level of risk. Users looking to access green spaces are now welcome to park in the parking lots, with a recommendation to leave one parking space distance between vehicles. Group limitations, and physical distancing, will remain in affect. This change is intended to enable residents to exercise in green spaces - it is not intended to in any way encourage large group gatherings in green spaces.

This change does not open:

any connecting structures or facilities to these parks,
playground structures,
any other closures not explicitly listed below

Disc Golf and Mountain Bike Park Reopening
The Town of Hinton Emergency Operations Centre has been in communication with the Disc Golf Society to coordinate a reopening based on their previously provided plan.

The Mountain Bike Skills Park closure has also been removed for our State of Local Emergency.

These outdoor spaces are all considered "use at your own risk". No cleaning parameters are being maintained by the Town of Hinton. Please observe physical distancing, and keep all pets on leash.

Using Outdoor Spaces

Sharing the path
People of all ages and mobility enjoy the outdoor paths. Please be considerate and aware of all path users.

All cyclists should be using their bell when passing others on the paths. When you are approaching someone, ring your bell, slowdown, and pass off path when safe to do so.
If you are using the paths and you hear a bell, please slow down, look around, and move off path if you need to.

Runners please allow enough room to safely pass others.

Hinton Town Council

During a short Regular Meeting of Council on Tuesday (May 5, 2020), Council passed Tax Rate Bylaw No. 1145. Find the video at Hinton.ca/CouncilLive and the briefs here.

Council meetings are closed to the public and occurring via teleconferencing. However, they are being live streamed via Youtube to allow residents to remain engaged in the democratic process in this pandemic event.

Town of Hinton Administration

Street Sweeping Underway

Street sweeping will commence as weather allows, with this year seeing colder weather hanging on longer than most years. Please be patient if you see the signs and our crews are delayed by weather getting to your area. Crews will be sweeping residential roadways throughout the Town, area by area. Advance signing will be placed on main access roads.

Please remove your vehicles when you see this sign – or when you see the street cleaning equipment in the area. The Peace Officer will be patrolling each area to ensure that all vehicles have been removed so that the sweeping crews can do a better sweeping job.

The order of street sweeping will progress as follows: Residential Streets, Arterial roads, Shopping Center Parking Lots, and Highway 16 (scheduled to accommodate the line painters).

Read the CivicSend here.

Learn More

The next scheduled COVID-19 related update is Thursday, May 14, 2020.

Town of Hinton Previous Update (May 01, 2020)
Town of Hinton Previous Update (April 30, 2020)
Town of Hinton Previous Update (April 23, 2020)
Town of Hinton Previous Update (April 16, 2020)

Town of Hinton Previous Update (April 09, 2020)
Town of Hinton COVID Webpage
Town of Hinton Defer Webpage
Town of Hinton SOLE Webpage
Province of Alberta COVID Webpage
Province of Alberta - Emergency Management Act
Government of Canada COVID Webpage
World Health Organization COVID Website

Questions

Residents with questions are asked to contact info@hinton.ca. Responses may be delayed due to EOC needs.

Members of local media with questions are asked to use the Public Information Officer contact information by clicking here or call 780-865-6001 and leave a message. Messages regarding PIO response will be returned within one business day.