Thursday, July 29, 2021

Markham announces plan to safely reopen select facilities and programs

MARKHAM, ON – July 29, 2021 – More than two weeks after entering Step Three of the Province’s Roadmap to Reopen, Ontario continues to see lower COVID-19 case counts and increasing vaccination rates. Given these continuous improvements, the City of Markham is working to reopen select facilities, amenities and programs for the pubic to enjoy – safely.

City staff and elected officials are hard at work continuing to provide exceptional customer service to residents and businesses during these challenging times. The City of Markham is taking a balanced and cautious approach to reopening in order to effectively manage costs, minimize impacts to the taxpayer and to keep our community safe.

“The City of Markham is delighted to begin reopening our doors to select facilities and reintroducing programs that have been greatly missed by our community,” said Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti. “Throughout the pandemic, we have had to strike a balance between protecting the health and safety of our customers and staff, and assessing the viability of reintroducing community services while not adding further financial burden on property taxpayers. We believe our cautious reopening plan strikes the right balance at the right time, and we are optimistic that further programs and services can be reintroduced shortly.”

At this time, the following recreational and library facilities will be reopening:

August 3:

Markham Public Library:
- In-person access to Markham Village and Unionville library branches for hold pickups
- Extended hours of operation at Markham Village, Thornhill Village and Unionville library branches

Mid-September – October:

Aaniin Community Centre and Library
Angus Glen Community Centre and Library
Angus Glen Tennis Centre
Centennial Community Centre
Crosby Community Centre
Markham Village Community Centre
Milliken Mills Soccer Centre
Mount Joy Community Centre
R.J. Clatworthy Arena
St. Roberts Soccer Centre
Thornhill Community Centre and Library

For more information about facility reopenings and specific services available at facilities, visit markham.ca/reopening.

As facilities reopen, the City of Markham will continue to follow advice from public health officials at the regional, provincial and federal levels. The health and safety of our service users, the community and our staff remain our number one priority as we navigate the pandemic, together.

Further announcements about the reopening of City services, including the Markham Museum, the Varley Art Gallery and the Flato Markham Theatre will be shared publicly at a later date.

Over the summer months, the City of Markham will continue to offer mostly virtual and outdoor programs and services, which include:

Morgan Outdoor Pool and Rouge River Outdoor Pool (weather permitting)
Markham Pan Am Centre Pool and Gymnasium
Virtual art and theatre camps
Virtual art and museum exhibitions and programs
Virtual library programs and camps
Pop-Up Park Program for kids
Outdoor and virtual recreation programs
Outdoor and virtual fitness classes

Outdoor programs follow all health and safety precautions as outlined in the Province of Ontario’s reopening plan and will require pre-booking and a COVID-19 screening before each visit. Due to COVID-19, drop-ins are not allowed. Visit markham.ca/SummerPrograms to find out more.

Indoor and instructional programming will ramp up for the fall as outdoor services wind down in early September based on weather.

Registration for fall programs starts August 31 at 6:30 AM at markham.ca/RegisterNow. Secure your spot early to avoid disappointment.

With COVID-19 recovery and response efforts still in progress, the use of the Aaniin Community Centre & Library and Cornell Community Centre & Library continue to be prioritized as vaccination sites.

Markham’s Contact Centre continues to respond to inquiries about municipal services and programs at customerservice@markham.ca and 905.477.5530, Monday to Friday between 8 AM and 5 PM.

For the latest information and updates related to COVID-19, visit markham.ca/covid19.

Related links:

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Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti's Office:
Bryan Frois, Chief of Staff at bfrois@markham.ca or 416.567.1177.

All other media inquiries / interview requests for the City of Markham:
Jennifer Yap, Coordinator, Communications and Media Relations at jyap@markham.ca or 437.229.2450.

For COVID-19 announcements from the City of Markham:
Visit markham.ca/covid19 or listen to 105.9 The Region – Markham’s information and emergency radio station.

About Markham: Markham, an award-winning municipality with more than 351,000 residents and the largest of nine communities in York Region, is home to over 650 headquartered companies and more than 1,500 high tech and life science companies. Markham is a leader in attracting foreign direct investment with more than 234 foreign companies located in the City. Founded in the 1790s, today Markham is Canada’s most diverse community and enjoys a rich heritage, outstanding community planning and services, and a vibrant local economy.

Stay Connected: Visit our newsroom or search #MarkhamNews and #MarkhamEvents for the latest information on City programs, services and event.