REGINA -- The City of Regina announced the closures of city owned playgrounds and outdoor facilities in an attempt to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus in the Queen City.

City crews will be working over the coming days to close off the 165 city playground structures around Regina. Residents are being asked to stop using these facilities as soon as possible along with dog parks, skateboard parks, picnic sites and basketball, tennis and pickleball courts.

“It’s also important for people to stay active in these trying times and we always encourage that, but playground equipment and other shared equipment present a risk,” said Regina Mayor Michael Fougere.

“I know this will be hard for children who are looking for entertainment to see at this time, but there’s lots of touching that happens on those surfaces and that’s a critical part to stop that transmission.”

The city says Regina residents can continue using park spaces and pathways as long as they maintain physical distancing of two metres and avoid shared surfaces like handrails and benches.