Today marks the beginning of Phase Two of reopening Manitoba’s economy, and there’s a lot of changes coming our way.

While no businesses are obligated to reopen at this time, more non-essential businesses now have the go-ahead to welcome customers.

The services that can now be restored include:

•  increasing child-care centre occupancy to up to 24 children plus staffing;
•  increasing day camp group sizes to 24;
•  resuming sports, arts and cultural activities for children and adults;
•  lifting occupancy limits at outdoor recreation facilities and golf courses outdoors, as long as physical distancing can be maintained and allowing limited access to indoor spaces;
• allowing direct travel to northern parks, campgrounds, cabins, lodges and resorts while ensuring physical distancing;
• allowing public/private swimming pools, spas, fitness clubs, gyms and community/service centres to reopen with some limitations;
• allowing religious or other organizations to hold outdoor services or events without limitation on numbers if people stay in their vehicles;
• reopening manicurists and pedicurists, tattoo parlours, estheticians, cosmetologists, electrologists and tanning parlours at 50 per cent capacity;
• allowing restaurants to reopen indoor spaces at 50 per cent capacity and continue to offer patio services at that capacity level; and
• allowing bars, beverage rooms, micro-brewers and similar businesses to operate patio service at 50 per cent of site capacity and to reopen indoor spaces at 50 per cent capacity.

What does this mean for the Parkland?

Recreation Services
Dauphin Recreation Services has reopened their parks, playgrounds, as well as skate park as of June 1st. 

We’ll still have to wait a bit longer for the opening of the Kinsmen Aquatic Centre, Dauphin Clinic Walking Track, Vermillion Sportsplex, and the Parkland Recreation Complex. More information is expected in the following weeks.

National Park Access
Riding Mountain National Park is also partially reopening for business June 1st: allowing the use of trails, picnic areas, beaches, and green spaces. However, you’re still not allowed to do any boating; that includes canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards.

All camping facilities will remain closed until at least June 21 — when Parks Canada will assess whether it’s safe to allow camping services to resume.

Schools
Beginning June 1st, students will be able to go back to school on an appointment basis for 1-on-1 or small group sessions for assessment purposes. Mountain View School Division (MVSD) Superintendent Dan Ward tells CKDM that schools are embracing the partial reopening to ensure a smooth transition back to normalcy in September.

Church Service
Church service and other faith-based gatherings are still required to adhere to the 25 person limit for indoor gatherings.