Mayor Leo Facio released a statement regarding the ever-increasing concerns of COVID-19 throughout the province.
“During this time of unprecedented public health concerns, I want to assure residents that the village council and staff are taking every precaution to help ‘flatten the curve on the spread of COVID-19,” the mayor stated. Facio encouraged the continued practice of social distancing and noted that the village office would be closed to in-person service.
“Our staff are ready to assist you by phone or by email during regular business hours,” the mayor said.
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The Harrison Hot Springs Fire Department has temporarily cancelled practices but will remain on-call in case of emergencies. All essential services will operate normally, and the mayor anticipated no interruptions.
Facio went on to address the state of the tourism industry in the village, citing the closure of Memorial Hall, Harrison Arts Council and the Ranger Station Art Gallery – just to name a few – as painful but necessary decisions during this difficult period.
“Our normally rich cultural and recreational life here in the village has been curtailed,” Facio said. “We regret that many excellent events have been canceled or postponed as a result [of COVID-19 precautions].”
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Village officials released a statement on Thursday, March 19, announcing the cancellation of the next two regularly scheduled council meetings and limiting meetings to once per month. The meetings continue to be open to the public as usual, but members of the public are encouraged to stay home to maintain mandated isolation.
The cancelled meetings would have taken place on Monday, April 6 and Monday, May 19 at 7 p.m. at the village hall.
The monthly meetings remaining on the schedule will take place on Monday, April 20 at 7 p.m. and Monday, May 4 at 7 p.m.
Facio acknowledged businesses in the area have already been heavily impacted by the need for social isolation, stating many have closed temporarily as a result.
Finally, Mayor Facio stated the village is in daily contact with provincial health authorities and will keep citizens updated through the website, physical bulletin boards and the village’s social media presence.
“I want to wish you and your families well during these challenging times,” the mayor concluded his statement. ‘We are all in this together, and please remember that we will come out the other side of it as a community, stronger and more resilient than ever.”
adam.louis@ahobserver.com
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