Saint John beaches to open this summer under new COVID-19 recovery plan

The City of Saint John unveiled its phased approach to COVID-19 recovery on Thursday.

According to the press release, several city services have been reinstated but many remain suspended.

This summer, residents will be able to visit beaches, dog parks and splash pads.

The city will resume its usual water quality testing in customers’ homes, the minimum property standards program for priority cases, and P.R.O Kids fundraising with no in-person events.

In the fall, the city is planning to resume its One Stop Development Shop walk-in services, the community standards and vacant buildings program and run the P.R.O Kids team placements. Arenas are also to be opened.

The suspended services, among others, include the Passport to Parks event series, all sport field usage, the annual planting program and all recreation programming.

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Surface road maintenance will resume, but the overlay project was suspended and the new solid waste management program’s pilot date was pushed to next year.

The plans were approved by council Monday, and will gradually take into effect.

The city said in the release that community groups that wish to maintain some sports and gardening efforts can reach out to the city to make arrangements.

Saint John’s recovery plan is closely guided by the province’s updates on public health and safety and may change, according to the release.