With confirmation that the country will move to COVID Alert Level 2 from midnight tonight, Hastings District Council will be reopening most of its facilities tomorrow or Thursday, within the Government’s revised Delta guidelines.

Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said it was great that the efforts through the lockdown so far appeared to be working to allow the change in alert level, but urged people to continue to follow the government’s guidelines to stay safe.

“We are delighted to be reopening our facilities and that we can go out and support our local businesses.

“As the government has stressed, however, the Delta variant has prompted extra measures such as face mask and scanning requirements, and we ask our community to be patient and understanding.

“Hopefully these continued efforts will mean we can look forward to our facilities and businesses being able to fully open in the not too distant future.”

At Level 2, the only facilities that remain closed are Toitoi – Hawke’s Bay Arts and Events Centre and the Havelock North i-Site.

Hastings i-Site and Hastings library will reopen tomorrow morning [Wednesday, September 7], with Havelock North and Flaxmere libraries reopening on Thursday this week.

Hastings City Art Gallery, Flaxmere and Camberley Community Centres, the aquatic centres, and Hastings Sports Centre will reopen on Thursday.

In line with Ministry of Health guidance, numbers of people within any of these facilities at any one time will be limited to allow for a space of two metres between people, and people are required to wear face coverings.

People are also asked to sign in when they visit.

The Lyndon Road Customer Service Centre will be open tomorrow at its normal hours.

As the first rates instalment due on August 20 was while the country was in alert level 4 lockdown and people could not pay in person, Council has delayed applying the 10 per cent instalment penalty. These will now be applied on September 16 to give those people who pay in person time to be able to safely make payment.

Access to the customer service centre will be controlled to enable contract tracing and manage numbers on site.

Parks, reserves and playgrounds are open, and people are asked to follow physical distancing, practise good hygiene and stay at home if they are sick.

Rubbish and recycling kerbside collection services continue as normal, and Henderson Rd transfer station and the recycling stations at Henderson Rd and Blackbridge will open tomorrow, with people asked to follow the directions of staff, sign in, wear face coverings and maintain a two-metre distance from others.

Residents are asked to check the Frequently Asked Questions section of the council website, www.hastingsdc.govt.nz or the facilities’ websites or Facebook pages for the most up-to-date information.

For COVID-19 information go to www.covid19.govt.nz.

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