KITCHENER -- With warm weather in the forecast, residents in Waterloo Region will now have more options for outdoor activities as municipalities further loosen COVID-19 restrictions.
The cities of Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge announced on Wednesday that a number of recreational facilities would be reopening.
In Waterloo, the city will immediately reopen its tennis courts and outdoor pickle ball courts, basketball courts, dog parks, picnic shelters and benches, and the parking lot at Waterloo Park.
Sports fields will stay closed for the time being because they have not been groomed or lined, according the City of Waterloo website, and skate parks will open soon.
The City of Kitchener says it will be reopening dog parks, sports fields, outdoor furniture, and basketball courts on Wednesday.
Skate parks are set to open up by the end of this week, while the McLennan Park BMX Trail, as well as tennis, volleyball and pickle ball courts will reopen over the next two weeks.
Meanwhile, city-run golf courses in Kitchener have been given official opening dates after the province gave the go-ahead for courses to reopen last week.
The Rockway Golf Course will reopen on May 25, and will open the tee sheet for bookings this Thursday.
Over at the Doon Valley Golf Course, officials will open the nine-hole course on May 29, and the championship 18-hole course on June 3.
In Cambridge, the city will on reopen its basketball courts, outdoor furniture, and sports fields on Wednesday.
However, the leash-free dog park located at Maple Grove Road will reopen on Thursday.
Skate parks, along with tennis, pickle ball, and volleyball courts are set to reopen within two weeks, while the Riverside Bike Park will remain closed for renovations with no set reopening date.
“We have all been wanting to be more active outside and to enjoy the fresh air. That said, please be vigilant and mindful of physical distancing directives. We have collectively come so far and can’t go backwards now,” said Cambridge Mayor Kathryn McGarry in part in a news release.
Residents are also reminded that provincial orders require that individuals using these amenities have to stay at least two metres apart, unless they are part of the same family.
In Waterloo, Kitchener, and Cambridge all playgrounds, park washrooms, outdoor gym equipment, splash pads, and pools will remain closed.
