Calgary recycling will once again have a place to go, but Cascades Recovery won’t be up to full speed for at least another week, the city said.
In Tuesday’s City of Calgary coronavirus briefing, they said the recycling facility where blue bin material in processed would reopen, but at 50 per cent capacity.
Last week, the location was closed because of a COVID-19 outbreak. The city would still pick up blue bins, but that material would be sent to a city landfill.
“We think it’s ready to go. It’s back up and running at about 50 per cent,” said Calgary Emergency Management Agency Chief Tom Sampson.
“We will be able to collect your bins for you this week. It’s not impossible that some of those bins will have to go to the waste landfill site, because we’re just not up to full operation.”
Both Chief Sampson and Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi said if people can still hold off on putting out their blue bins this week, it would help.
It’s likely to be at least a week before the location can get up to speed, said Mayor Nenshi.
“Remember that we’ve got to bring people back,” said Mayor Nenshi.
“Some people have to isolate because they were in close contact with people who actually tested positive so probably about a week to get to 100 per cent – slow ramp up over the course of the next few days.”
Long weekend grade: C+
Chief Sampson said Calgarians were, for the most part, good listeners this past Victoria Day long weekend.
“I’d have to say that Calgarians did quite well; I mean they got a passing grade… a C+,” he said.
“I’m reminded of those report cards that I had that said, ‘you know, it’s a good mark but we could have done better.”
Sampson said there were 77 incidents of public health concerns around physical distancing and using playgrounds. There were 279 visible patrols over the weekend. With that there were 135 warnings issued, and five tickets for public drinking in parks.
The city also investigated 43 COVID-19-related issues at Calgary businesses, with 13 locations having incidents of no physical distance. Two massage businesses were fined $1,000 for operating outside the public health rules.
Plus-15 plan in the works; golf courses open
The City of Calgary has been working with the Chamber of Commerce and the Building Operators and Managers Association (BOMA) on opening the Plus-15s in Calgary.
Sampson said they’re working with businesses on both end of the over-street corridors to ensure public health measures are organized.
City-owned golf courses also opened last week. Shaganappi, Maple Ridge and McCall Lake were open, with 498 golfers playing. More than 5,800 bookings were logged.
Sampson said that golf course operators informed them that players were “excellent” at maintaining the appropriate distance.
“The golf courses will stay open, as long as people continue to maintain the health and safety requirements of the course,” he said.
