In an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19, the City of Vancouver today announced that it is closing—or limiting access to—a number of its public facilities.

Effective immediately, all Park Board community centres, pools, fitness centres, ice rinks, and golf courses will be closed, and all permitted events at park board fields and parks will be cancelled. Park board field houses and change rooms will also be closed, although park washrooms will remain open.

While park board day camps and licensed childcare will remain open until further notice, new registrations will not be accepted. Also, Evelyn Saller, Carnegie, and Gathering Place Community Centres will remain open to deliver essential services such as food, shelter and hygiene programs, although recreation and social programs will not operate at these locations.

In addition, all Vancouver civic theatres (the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Orpheum, Orpheum Annex, and Vancouver Playhouse) and attractions such as the Van Dusen Botanical Gardens, the Bloedel Conservatory, and the Stanley Park train will be closed to the public.

All Vancouver Public Library locations will be closed as of 1:30 p.m. today (March 16), although all digital services as well as email and phone reference will still be available.

"Out of an abundance of caution, we have made the decision to suspend many non-essential programs and close most civic facilities," said Mayor Kennedy Stewart, in a press release. "Now more than ever, we need to be thinking of how we can help each other. If you have an elderly neighbour, or someone who has medical issues, ask them if they’re OK, ask them if they need anything."

With further closures possible in the coming days, the status of city facilities, events, and services can be accessed online at vancouver.ca/covid19.