Lincoln, ON – (June 30, 2021) – The provincial government announced that all of Ontario will enter Step Two of the Province’s Roadmap to Reopen as of Wednesday, June 30 at 12:01 a.m. The move into Step 2 will occur several days earlier than originally anticipated thanks to continued improvements to key public health and health care indicators.
Here are some impacts to local facilities, service delivery, outdoor activities and gatherings, restaurants and retail.
- Lincoln Town Hall and the Lincoln Fire Department administrative offices will re-open to the public starting Monday, July 5. We encourage everyone to continue to access our services online or by phone, or to book an appointment where possible. Please call 905-563-8205 or e-mail info@lincoln.ca to book appointments, or visit www.lincoln.ca to access our online services.
- Lincoln Public Library re-opens on Monday, July 5 with limited capacity. Please note the Fleming Centre, including the indoor walking track, are closed to the public until Step 3. Access is limited to the Fleming Branch library and washrooms. There is a capacity of 15 people at the Fleming Branch in Beamsville, and a capacity of 10 people at the Moses F. Rittenhouse Branch in Vineland. More details on the re-opening are available on the library’s website: https://lincoln.library.on.ca/reopening-to-the-public-monday-july-5/
- Indoor social gatherings and organized public events of up to 5 people are now permitted.
- Essential and other select retail permitted at 50 per cent capacity; non-essential retail permitted at 25 per cent capacity.
- Personal care services are permitted where face coverings can be worn at all times, at 25 per cent capacity and with other restrictions.
- Outdoor dining is permitted for up to 6 people per table, with exceptions for larger households and other restrictions.
- Outdoor fitness classes are limited to the number of people who can maintain 3 metres of physical distance.
- Outdoor sports without contact or modified to avoid contact are permitted, with no specified limit on number of people or teams participating, with restrictions.
- Rentals for outdoor spaces including sports fields and park pavillions continue to be permitted; visit our website for more details.
Indoor Town recreation facilities remain closed in this stage.
Please note that the majority of Section 22 orders issued in February by Niagara Region Public Health will still apply to all shopping malls, retail stores and food and drink premises in all of Niagara during Step One. As of June 24, the restriction on dining with household members only as part of section 22 orders in Niagara has been lifted for parties dining outdoors.
For more details, see the Province's roadmap for re-opening at a glance.
“Our move into Step 2 and the further easing of restrictions on June 30 a clear reflection of the collective efforts by everyone in Lincoln, Niagara and Ontario through what has truly been a marathon,” said Town of Lincoln Mayor Sandra Easton. “It certainly hasn’t been easy for anyone and there have been tragedies, losses and challenges faced by everyone along the way. We acknowledge this effort and thank the Lincoln community for staying the course.”
“It is uplifting and encouraging to see the uptake on vaccinations across the region, which has resulted in us moving to Step 2. This has been a crucial step in allowing us to get back on track with regular business and activities,” said the Town’s CAO Michael Kirkopoulos. “As we progress through the re-opening steps, we look forward to welcoming our community members back to our facilities safely and will continue to support our local business community through the transitions."
While the province has surpassed Step Three vaccination targets, Ontario may remain in Step Two for a period of approximately 21 days to allow the most recent vaccinations to reach their full effectiveness and to evaluate any impacts of moving to Step Two on key public health and health care indicators. When it is determined to be safe, the province will move to Step Three of the Roadmap to Reopen and more details will be provided on the next step when they become available.
For more information on facility and service impacts and to see what’s open and what’s closed in Lincoln, visit lincoln.ca/coronavirus-pandemic/facility-service-impacts.
Help prevent the spread of COVID-19:
The best way to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, including COVID-19 is to:
- Practice physical distancing by avoiding close interaction with others (stay 2 metres apart).
- Wash your hands often with soap and water or with alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Wear a face covering in public (indoors and outdoors) in accordance with Niagara’s Face Covering By-law, following the provincial order.
- Limit trips into the community to specific purposes that are important to you (e.g. shopping, restaurant takeout or outdoor dining, particular recreational activities), since extra time outside of the home adds to crowds and makes it more difficult for others to physically distance.
- Stay home if you are sick. Although COVID-19 is often very mild, minor symptoms should not be ignored.
- Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or sleeve.
Report a COVID-19 concern
To report a concern about gatherings or business not following COVID-19 guidelines, contact Municipal Law Enforcement:
- MLE@lincoln.ca
- 905-563-2799 ext. 289
- For By-law enforcement after hours (after 4:30 p.m. and weekends), please call Niagara Region dispatch line at 905-984-3690 or 1-877-552-5579.
For more information
For further information on the Town’s response to COVID-19 and impacts to facilities and services, visit www.lincoln.ca/coronavirus-pandemic.
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For media inquiries, please contact:
Liliana Busnello
Manager of Corporate Communications
Town of Lincoln
Direct: 905-563-2799 ext. 230
Tel: 905-563-8205
lbusnello@lincoln.ca
Backgrounder: Current Facility & Service Levels
Below is some information on what is open and what is closed in Lincoln as of June 30:
Administrative Offices
- Lincoln Town Hall and the Lincoln Fire Department administrative offices will re-open to the public starting Monday, July 5. We encourage everyone to continue to access our services online or by phone, or to contact the Town ahead of time to make an appointment for essential services. Please call 905-563-8205 or e-mail info@lincoln.ca to book appointments, or visit www.lincoln.ca to access our online services.
Playgrounds and other outdoor recreation amenities open
- Playgrounds, basketball courts, tennis and pickleball courts and outdoor sports fields are open.
- Please note that the Rotary Park skate park and pump track re-opened on June 26, as Part 1 of Phase II park construction is nearing completion.
- Splash pads and outdoor pools are open.
- Parks and trails are open.
- Charles Daley Park Beach, sport fields, picnic areas and park washrooms are open. (Please note that the beach at Charles Daley Park is currently closed due to algae; re-opening will be announced on the Town’s website and social media accounts.)
- Outdoor fitness classes are limited to the number of people who can maintain 3 metres of physical distance.
- Outdoor sports without contact or modified to avoid contact are permitted, with no specified limit on number of people or teams participating, with restrictions.
- Visit our website for more details on rentals for outdoor sports fields.
- Outdoor gatherings are limited to 25 people.
- Even outside, people should stay at least two metres away from anyone they don’t live with.
- Visit lincoln.ca/parks-trails for more information.
All indoor rinks, sports and recreation facilities closed
- All indoor sports and recreation facilities in Lincoln are closed including Town-owned rinks and recreation centres: Fleming Centre, Lincoln Museum and Cultural Centre, and
- Lincoln Community Centre (Seniors Centre) is open for vaccinations by appointment only and for Rapid Testing for the local business community in cooperation with the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce.
- To register for programs please visit lincoln.ca/recreation. Program start dates will be adjusted based on the most current provincial restrictions. If programs are cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions, the Town will issue refunds to registered participants.
Lincoln Public Library branches re-open; curbside pickup still available
- All Lincoln Public Library branches are re-opening with limited capacity starting Monday, July 5.
- Lincoln Public Library re-opens on Monday, July 5 with limited capacity. Please note the Fleming Centre, including the indoor walking track, are closed to the public until Step 3. Access is limited to the Fleming Branch and washrooms. There is a capacity of 15 people at the Fleming Branch in Beamsville, and a capacity of 10 people at the Moses F. Rittenhouse Branch in Vineland.
- Curbside pickup continues to be available during regular hours. Visit www.lincoln.library.on.ca for more details, hours and guidelines.
Lincoln Museum & Cultural Centre closed
- Check out the Museum’s online exhibits and virtual experiences. Outdoor programming is available for registration at the Museum's website.
Priority Community Services
- Hear & Now Mental Health Walk-in Clinic remains available online and by phone only. This service provides free one-on-one mental health counselling for children and youth up to age 18 in Lincoln. Call 1-800-263-4944 to book a counselling session.
- The Town will continue working with Niagara Region and local social service agencies to ensure the community’s most vulnerable have access to service and support. Please call 211 within Niagara for community supports.
Organized public events, social gatherings
No more than:
- 5 people if the event is held indoors, or
- 25 people if the event is held outdoors;
- Some exceptions apply.
NRT OnDemand
Visit the Niagara Region website for more information about NRT OnDemand. In-person ticket sales have been suspended at this time.
Support local and shop safe: ShopLincoln.ca
Please support local businesses who continue to need our support. For a directory of local shops, visit www.shoplincoln.ca.
Some of the main impacts to businesses are as follows:
Retail
- In person shopping permitted for all retail, subject to capacity limits of:
- Essential and select retail at 50% capacity and can sell all goods (including discount and big box)
- Non-essential retail at 25% capacity
- Shopping malls may open with restrictions
- Curbside pick-up and delivery permitted
- Stores must have passive screening for patrons (for example, posting signs outside the store front about not entering if you have any COVID-19 symptoms)
- Individuals must physically distance and wear a face covering, with some exceptions
All businesses in Niagara Region including Lincoln must adhere to Orders under Section 22 of the Health Protection and Promotion Act – Shopping and Retail.
Restaurants, Bars and Food/Drink Establishments
- Outdoor dining with up to 6 people per table, with exceptions for larger households and other restrictions.
- Restaurants, bars and other food or drink establishments can continue to offer take-out, drive-through, and delivery.
All businesses in Niagara Region including Lincoln must adhere to Orders under Section 22 of the Health Protection and Promotion Act – Food and Beverage.
Personal Care Services
- Personal care services where face coverings can be worn at all times, and at 25 per cent capacity and other restrictions.
Wedding, funeral and religious services, rites and ceremonies
- Physical distancing must be maintained
- Guests must wear masks or face coverings
- Capacity limits:
- Indoors: 25% capacity of the particular room
- Outdors: the number of people that can maintain two metres physical distance from each other
- Drive-in services, rites or ceremonies permitted, subject to certain conditions.
- The capacity limits do not apply to social gatherings associated with a wedding, a funeral or a religious service, rite or ceremony, such as a wedding reception.
Meeting and event spaces
- Physical distancing must be maintained
- Capacity limits:
- Indoors: No patron may be permitted to enter the indoor premises of the business or place, except,
- to access a washroom,
- to access an outdoor area that can only be accessed through an indoor route, or
- as may be necessary for the purposes of health and safety.
- Outdoors: must not exceed 25 per cent capacity per event space
- Indoors: No patron may be permitted to enter the indoor premises of the business or place, except,
- The rented space must be configured so that patrons seated at different tables are separated by,
- a distance of at least two metres, or
- plexiglass or some other impermeable barrier.
- No more than six people may be seated together at any table in the rented space.
- No patrons are permitted to dance within the rented space.
Animal services continue to be permitted as per Step 1.
Household services continue to be permitted as per Step 1.
Accommodations
- Permitted to operate. Any indoor pools, communal steam rooms, saunas or indoor whirlpools, indoor fitness centres, or other indoor recreational facilities that are part of the operation of these businesses, are closed.
For more details, see the Province's roadmap for re-opening at a glance.