BARRHEAD-The Barrhead Regional Aquatics Centre will be joining the Restriction Exemption Program (REP) starting February.
Councillors unanimously decided to implement the REP during a special Jan. 17 council meeting citing the inability of staff to police current public health guidelines due to abusive patrons.
In a second motion, councillors also instructed administration to investigate the cost of security to enforce the program and report back to council.
In September, the town announced that it would not be opting into the program for its recreational facilities.
However, the Barrhead Curling Club and the Barrhead Bowling Association (Blue Heron Bowl) not-for-profit organizations indicated they would opt into the REP.
To be eligible for the program, operators must request proof of a patron's (12 and over) double vaccination status, a medical exemption or a negative COVID test result within 72 hours of the date to allow them into their establishment. Adults also need to show personal identification that matches the vaccine record. The test result must also come from an accredited business and not a self-administered rapid test, as its authenticity cannot be confirmed.
One of the benefits of being in the REP program is that participants do not have to follow all the public health restrictions. The most notable being, that capacity is not restricted to 1/3 of its occupancy limit.
The special meeting was called after the town received a report from Barrhead's health inspector citing that the pool was not in compliance with COVID-19 public health restrictions.
Specifically, the health inspector stated that on Jan. 12, several adults from different households were within three metres of each other.
In his report, the health inspector said to become compliant the town had to either develop and enforce a policy to maintain physical distancing or opt into the REP. He noted that under the REP, the distancing component between different cohorts wasn't required.
Mayor Dave McKenzie said the health officer also received complaints that people were not wearing masks when required, and at times, there were too many people in the hot tub.
"Our staff have been trying, with great diligence, to approach the people who are not compliant and address violations with them," he said. "Unfortunately, our staff are being verbally abused and intimidated. On many occasions, it has gotten so bad ... the RCMP have been called. It would be nice they would show some respect for our efforts to be inclusive, but that is not happening. "
McKenzie added that due to the "open hostility" aquatics staff has faced he said he does not believe it is possible to implement a policy or procedures to comply with the public health order.
"That leaves us two options. Close the facility or adopt the Restrictions Exemption Program," he said, noting closure is not something anyone wants to see.
McKenzie added that due to the public hostility staff has faced, it has been difficult for the aquatics centre to attract and retain trained staff like lifeguards.
Due to the lack of staff on multiple occasions, the aquatics centre has had to restrict hours or limit capacity.
"We have tried to keep the facility open to all members of the community," McKenzie said. "But not all of them have been playing nice. It is one thing to decide that you don't want to wear a mask, it does not give you the right to harass our employees. I am disappointed that it has come to this."
Coun. Dave Sawatzky asked how many of the surrounding communities have implemented REP for their rec facilities.
Chief administrative officer Edward LeBlanc replied that both the Allan & Jean Millar Centre in Whitecourt and Westlock Aquatic Centre, along with the Rotary Spirit Centre, are part of the REP. The Tri Leasure Centre in Spruce Grove and all Edmonton indoor recreation facilities are also part of the REP.
Coun. Don Smith questioned whether opting in would solve the problem of staff abuse.
"If it does not fix the problem, then why do it?" he asked.
McKenzie agreed, saying implementing the REP would likely only solve half of the problem, complying with public health orders, adding that is why he also suggests hiring a security firm to check for the required vaccination passports, et cetera.
"There is going to be an expense to that, which is why I would also suggest a security fee to offset the extra costs," he said. "Having a uniformed security person takes it out of our staff's hands."
Smith would later say that if the municipality employed security, it would have to be someone capable of "doing the job and not just someone wearing a security jacket."
Coun. Rod Klumph questioned if implementing the REP is economically feasible.
"Would we drop down to the point that there is only a handful of people in the pool at a given time? Perhaps our staff could give us some insight," he said.
Parks and recreation director Shallon Touet said they would lose patrons outside the community who come to Barrhead because their local facility opted into the REP.
Sawatzky asked if attendance had been impacted in other communities when they opted into the REP.
Aquatics centre supervisor Adrianna Pollard said when the Athabasca aquatic centre first opted in, the number of people at their weekend swims dropped by about 20 people. However, Pollard did not know if the drop was temporary.
Sawatzky believed they would likely see a similar decline but believed attendance might rebound as people who previously boycotted the swimming pool because it wasn't part of the REP returned.
Coun. Ty Assaf and Anthony Oswald agreed, making similar comments.
Assaf also said he was disappointed in the aquatic centre users who decided to take their frustrations out on pool staff, many of them being youth.
"(It is our obligation) to protect everyone in our town, including our staff," he said. "It eats me alive that our young staff ... are being harassed for doing their jobs. When you start attacking staff over having to wear a mask, this council is going to have to come up with harsh decisions."
Coun. Rod Klumph returned the discussion to the options at hand: either closing the pool or taking steps to make sure they were compliant with the public health regulations.
He added the only way to be compliant with the regulation, as it would be impossible to keep three metres of physical distancing between members of different households opting into the REP was the only option.
"And I want to keep the pool open," Klumph said.
Sawatzky agreed, saying physical fitness and activity is an important component of one's mental health and overall wellbeing.
"We owe it to our community to keep everyone as healthy as possible," he said. "If we close this facility, it will negatively impact a lot of people."
