By: Gurbir Singh
All Hamilton City Council community facilities will be closed effective Sunday 22 March as a precaution to slow the spread of COVID-19.
This tough measure has been taken in view of the evolving situation and government putting limits on the number of people who can gather in a space.
As a result, all Hamilton City Libraries, Waterworld, the Gallagher Aquatic Centre, Hamilton Zoo, Waikato Museum, ArtsPost and the Hamilton i-SITE will be temporarily closed until further notice. The Auaha makerspace at the front of the Central Library and the Smart Space in Garden Place will also close.
Hamilton Gardens’ open spaces and privately-owned café will remain open, but the themed gardens and Information Centre will be closed to visitors.
There will be no services held at Hamilton Park Cemetery Chapel and Crematorium chapel. However, graveside services will be allowed if physical distancing is maintained.
Staff will remain on site at all Council facilities to carry out maintenance and administrative tasks. No staff jobs will be adversely affected.
Chief Executive Richard Briggs says the most effective way the Council can support these restrictions is to discourage people from gathering in numbers in our community.
“It’s important the Council does whatever we can to slow the spread of COVID-19, so we have to make tough calls like temporarily closing our much-loved facilities.”
Mayor Paula Southgate says the decision to close the city’s community facilities was difficult but essential.
“Our community and our country’s health must come first. Our facilities are a very important part of what makes Hamilton such a liveable city, but they also attract crowds. It’s time for the community and the country to band together to slow the spread of COVID-19.”
The Council will be reviewing the closure on a day-by-day basis.
