Blame it on the weather, but the past week in Newmarket has seen a drastic decline in the number of residents out and about in parks.
There has also been a decrease in formal complaint calls and warnings issued, regulatory services manager Flynn Scott reported today, believed to be due to increased compliance rates with the public health measures in force to help curb the spread of COVID-19 in the community.
Between May 4 and 10, local bylaw enforcers conducted 232 park patrols, logged 1,106 interactions and observations with citizens, and issued 93 warnings through public education and voluntary compliance of the rules.
No tickets were issued this past week as the town continues its emphasis on educating individuals and businesses on such things as physical distancing, the practise of keeping six feet away from others when out in public.
In addition, complaints about essential and non-essential businesses, physical distancing, and general COVID-19 inquiry calls are all down from the previous two weeks.
Bylaw received 12 business complaints, 32 calls about physical distancing, eight complaints about people in parks, and 22 general inquiries.
“This week, regulatory services will be focusing on Main Street and expanding to other plazas for the reopening of businesses,” Scott said, of the province lifting some restrictions to allow for the full reopening of garden and hardware stores, along with storefront retail shops for curbside pickup, including those in Newmarket’s downtown.
“Emphasis will be placed on proactive education with local businesses through our licensing officers, regular patrols for parking along Main Street through our parking officers, and enforcement, where necessary, for new parking restrictions,” he said.
Effective May 10, the Town of Newmarket has temporarily amended the parking restrictions on Main Street by imposing a 30-minute maximum parking limit to facilitate curbside pickup or delivery.
As the Ontario government begins to lift COVID-19 restrictions, retail stores with a street entrance can begin to provide curbside pickup and delivery starting today, May 11.
