City of Mississauga Closes Playgrounds, Courts and Leash-free Zones

City Services | March 23, 2020

Effective today, all facilities within the City’s 500+ parks are closed to the public to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 including:

• Playgrounds
• Outdoor Fitness Equipment
• Sport Courts
• Leash-free Zones
• Picnic Shelters
• Skateboard Parks

“In an effort to reduce the further spread of this virus and encourage physical distancing, we have made the decision to close all facilities within parks such as playgrounds, sport pads, leash-free areas, and courts,” said Mayor Bonnie Crombie. “I have seen and heard far too many instances of people socializing with friends and families at playgrounds and in our parks and not maintaining safe distances of 2 metres or more. Enough is enough. This week is absolutely critical in our efforts to contain the virus and flatten the curve in Mississauga. These additional measures are necessary and will help reduce the risk of transmission to those most vulnerable in our community.”

Signage at all City parks indicating these closures will be installed by the end of the week.

These closures are aligned with Peel Public Health’s strong direction to residents to practice social distancing and avoid gatherings in public settings.

According to Peel Public Health, the best way to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses such as COVID-19 is to:

• Stay home if you are ill.
• Practice social distancing: reduce physical contact with others (of at least 2 metres apart) to break the pathways COVID-19 uses to move between people, such as shaking hands and direct contact.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, mouth and nose as much as possible.
• Avoid contact with people who are ill and their items.
• Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve or elbow, not your hands. Wash hands after coughing and sneezing.
• Maintain a healthy lifestyle, including a healthy diet, exercise and enough sleep, to enhance your body’s immune system.
• Get a flu shot. You are more likely to contract influenza than COVID-19 and being sick lowers your immunity to other germs.

To learn about the latest updates on actions taken by the City of Mississauga visit mississauga.ca/coronavirus.

For further COVID-19 information, please visit Region of Peel Public Health.

Please continue to follow our updates on Twitter through @CityMississauga and through our website mississauga.ca.

Media Contact:

Catherine Monast
Senior Advisor Media and Public Information
City of Mississauga
Tel: 905-615-3200, ext. 5046
Email: catherine.monast@mississauga.ca
TTY: 905-896-5151