There's a definite decrease in the number of COVID-19 cases in and around High River as social distancing and other measures meant to stop the spread of the disease are showing signs of paying off.

However, there are those who don't believe there was ever a reason to close businesses and stay away from each other.

High River Mayor Craig Snodgrass doesn't have much to say about the "conspiracy theorists."

"I commend their volunteerism if they want to get the virus. If you don't want to pay attention to what's working successfully. You know, I can't help you too much."

Snodgrass says the Town and the wider world will open up as much or as little as is safe to do so.

In the meantime, he stresses people need to remain vigilant and continue to follow measures to keep us all healthy and safe.

Snodgrass says the numbers don't lie though.

As of Friday, May 8, out of 538 cases in the High River Zone, 410 are now recovered, while 123 remain active.

He says that has him and Town Council starting to look at what and when they can start to re-open some town facilities.

"Council has started to discuss, our facilities and our role in this and which facilities or which entities might come back online in some capacity and kind of what the timeline is. But, we're not looking at doing anything differently than what we're doing now, until at least June 1st."

Snodgrass says one thing they are looking at is re-opening the campground at George Lane Park, but not for the May long weekend.

He says the earliest would be June 1, but even that date wouldn't be written in stone.

He says it would be limited to every second stall, while the rest of the park would remain closed for public use.

He says things like the pool, skating rink, and field house will remain closed though.

Snodgrass says it's not that those facilities are what's dangerous, but it's the change rooms or other places where people come into close contact that are the real danger around the coronavirus.

The Mayor says all you have to do is look at what happened at Cargill for all the proof you need that the disease spreads very quickly in groups.

 

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