Message From the Mayor
With the "new normal" starting to take shape, Qualicum Beach is seeing more and more
businesses re-open. The first steps will most likely be tentative, with shorter business
hours, and limited access. We do know however, that Qualicum Beach knows how to
support local, and that it is in the very fibre of what makes our Town so special.
In fact, interwoven through the 2017 Quality of Life Survey and the 2018 Offiical
Community Plan is the residents' commitment to supporting local businesses. The Quality
of Life Survey says that "With respect to goals for the 'Village Neighbourhood', support for
small businesses is the highest priority".
This Council is committed to continue to partner with local businesses to help recover
from COVID-19, and in the recent May 13 Council Meeting, a motion was passed for staff
to work with the Chamber of Commerce to explore ways to utilize sidewalk spaces and
parking areas to help support local businesses during the COVID19 pandemic.
This initiative will allow businesses to enter into a License of Occupation at nominal rates,
and utilize sidewalks and parking areas for outdoor seating, display or retail areas until
December 31.
We look forward to the next steps, and feel confident that together we can navigate our
way back to a healthy and economically vibrant community! We Are All in This Together.
Mayor Brian Wiese
Re-Opening of Town Sports Facilities
The Town of Qualicum Beach Town Hall has been closed to the public since mid-March
and staff have been providing assistance by phone and email. Most of the Town's
functions have remained consistent during the COVID-19 pandemic, and all staff have
continued to be employed in their various capacities.
What is Re-Opening
The Town has been working with the different provincial organizations to safely re-open
facilities that were closed to avoid the spread of COVID-19.
The following facilities will reopen on May 22 for casual use only:
- Tennis courts
- Skateboard park
Guidelines for Using Facilities
- In accordance with provincial guidance:
- Play singles tennis.
- Double play is for those in your same household only.
- There is no organized team play, training camps or competitive tournaments
permitted at this time. - Review and obey any posted signage prior to starting activities.
- Practice physical distancing, wash and sanitize hands often and be mindful of
others around you. - Users must keep gatherings small with no congregating.
- When using the sports courts, keep in mind:
- Courts are for casual play only, not organized teams.
- Clearly mark equipment and refrain from touching other people's items.
- Do not share racquets, water bottles or any other sports equipment.
- Each player should carry their own hand sanitizer for use during their activity.
Status on Other Facilities Re-Opening
When it is safe to do so, we will reopen amenities as soon as possible, and will post updates on the Town's website and via social media.
For now, the following public facilities remain closed at this time, and we are working toward a phased re-opening for the following:
- Town Hall offices (closed to the public, but open for business)
- Civic Centre Community Hall
- Leigh House Washrooms
- Public showers on the waterfront BMX Track
Rebound for Businesses
Rebound Oceanside has designed a program to assist businesses through the COVID-19
crisis and minimize the negative impacts of an economic shut down.
The Business Recovery Program has been created for businesses and not-for-profits in
the Parksville/Qualicum Beach /School District 69 region. This program is funded by the
Province of British Columbia and WorkBC. Oceanside Initiatives is working in partnership
with the Parksville and Qualicum Beach Chambers of Commerce, the Parksville Qualicum
Beach Tourism Association, Parksville Downtown Business Association, and the
Lighthouse Country Business Association to manage and coordinate the program.
Supporting Local
The Parksville and Qualicum Beach Chambers of Commerce have launched the Support
Local initiative to encourage the community to support the businesses in the area first
before looking elsewhere.
Below are some great links to help support local:
- Supporting Oceanside Businesses - a tool for all local businesses to outline their
current services being offered. Created by the Chamber of Commerce. - Open During COVID-19 - a directory of businesses that are open during COVID19. Created by the Parksville and Qualicum Beach Tourism Association.
- Supporting Local Restaurants - a helpful quick find directory showing where you
can eat during COVID-19. Created by Oceansidetakeout.ca
Public Consultation During COVID-19 Pandemic
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
Over the last weeks, the COVID-19 pandemic brought many parts of our personal and
professional lives to an abrupt halt. On behalf of the Town, and the Planning department,
we sincerely hope that both you and your families are able to stay safe and healthy during
these challenging times.
Working with you, the community, and understanding your perspective is a vital part of our
work. Many aspects of community planning benefit from your input - from long-term
visioning and comprehensive planning, to reviewing and commenting on specific
proposals and development applications. For this reason, we are exploring all possible
alternatives to continue effective communication and consultation, while also keeping you
safe.
We do not know what the future holds in terms of physical distancing, but it will likely be
some time before the Town is able to convene large consultation meetings in person
again. So, we are exploring different ways to keep communication open between the
public and the Planning department.
Here is a link to a short survey to help us understand how you would like to communicate
with the Planning department. Please respond by June 12, 2020. Feel free to forward
this to your friends and neighbours:
LINK TO SURVEY
COVID-19 Information Sources
