The City of Merritt is following recommended protocols from the Minister of Health and the Provincial Health Officer by closing more city facilities and further restricting person-to-person contact among city staff and the public.
Merritt’s Communications Manager Will George spoke to the Herald regarding the most recent closures.
“Effective this morning we’ve closed City Hall to the public as well as the Community Policing Office, the Fire Department and Public Works to the public,” said George.
“All of those facilities are continuing operation with the staff that are at those facilities, but we’re going through preventative measures to make sure that staff are safe as well as the public are safe and closing those facilities to the public. This is in addition to the ones we’ve already listed.”
The public transit office is also closed, though transit is still running at the time.
George says Merritt is falling in line with many other communities around the province who are encouraging citizens to stay home and avoid going out unnecessarily where they may spread or come in contact with the coronavirus, COVID-19.
“You’re seeing communities across the province close their recreation facilities and some are closing City Hall as well. It’s something council was going to meet about, but the province announced their update, so we were able to close those.”
For the time being, council will continue to meet in chamber unless the need to close City Hall entirely arises.
“As of now council is continuing to meet,” said George.
“We are strongly advising those interested in attending council meetings to watch online, and we will be providing updates if council meetings shift to an online platform of ways that community members can engage and ask questions. But as of now, the Tuesday council meeting for March 24 is still going ahead, in council chambers.”
Information is being shared on the City of Merritt website, including how to protect yourself from COVID-19, and resources for individuals and businesses who will be impacted as well as information regarding transportation, events and social gatherings that have been cancelled or postponed, and city facilities which are closed.
“We’re putting out information as we receive it, but we haven’t heard of any cases within the Nicola Valley, just the ones that have already been reported in our region,” said George.
