Library limits visitors to 100

Libraries, public swimming pools and other community facilities across Christchurch will be limited to 100 visitors at a time.

The city’s 23 libraries will be affected by the move to limit capacity, along with swimming pools and classes, recreation centres, fitness classes and the Christchurch Art Gallery.

This contrasts with Auckland’s approach, which has been to close all public libraries and pools for two weeks.

Twenty staff at Christchurch City Council who have either returned from overseas or are showing flu-like symptoms are selfisolating as a precautionary measure.

The decisions, detailed by the council here, follow the tightening of Government restrictions limiting gatherings to 100 people.

The city council has made changes at many of its community facilities to keep them open while still abiding my Ministry of Health guidelines over how to limit the spread of coronavirus.

‘‘We know how important our facilities are to people’s physical and mental health,’’ said Mary Richardson, who is leading the council’s response to the pandemic.

‘‘We need to follow the advice from the Ministry of Health about how to prevent the spread of

Covid-19 so we are making some changes to how we operate our facilities so we can keep them open.’’

It has closed hydroslides and urged users of city pools to maintain a distance from others of

1 metre.

The limit of fewer than 100 visitors affects the city’s libraries – including the central library

Tu¯ ranga, which closed its Lego play area Imagination Station yesterday – along with service centres, pools and recreation centres, the Art Gallery and the Botanic Gardens visitor centre.

After school classes, birthday parties and other paid and ticketed sessions at Tu¯ ranga’s Imagination Station will continue.

Indoor and outdoor pools are also limited to fewer than 100 people, as are fitness centres, indoor stadiums and libraries.

There is no timeframe for how long the changes will be in place.

Hydroslides, saunas and steam rooms, swimming pool inflatables sessions and Box Fit classes are all closed or cancelled.