Nelson City Council facilities at COVID-19 Protection Framework Red - update

Here is the latest on safe access to Nelson City Council’s facilities at Red traffic light in the COVID-19 Protection Framework.

COVID-19 is in our community and we need to take action to protect our vulnerable communities and health system from the virus.

Council provides a range of facilities and services, from campgrounds to venues, and has had to make decisions about each that fit within the new framework.

While the requirements at most venues remain the same as at the Orange traffic light, any new requirements will be clearly signposted.
Below is a run-down of how Council facilities operate at Red:

Libraries

A vaccine pass is required for access to Nelson’s public libraries. 
Elma Turner Library and Stoke Library offer a Click and Collect service to ensure everyone can access their collections.

Customer Service Centre

Many people need to interact with Council on a face-to-face basis, which means vaccine passes will not be required to enter the Customer Service Centre.

There will be rules in place to ensure safety: one-metre physical distancing, capacity limit of eight, masks compulsory for customers, and one-way entry/exit.

Pools and gyms

Vaccine passes are required at Riverside Pool, Nayland Park Pool and Riverside Gym. Nayland Pool will be closed to the public at certain times during the week while school groups use the pool.

Founders Heritage Park

General admission: As Founders is largely an outdoor venue, a vaccine pass is not required for entry, but one metre physical distancing and masks will be required. A vaccine pass will be required for Founders Café.

Events: A vaccine pass will be required for all events at Founders. Organisers of events will be required to provide Council with a health and safety plan. Events are limited to up to 100 people with one metre distancing practised.

Gatherings: A vaccine pass is not needed to book a gathering at Founders. A gathering is limited to up to 25 people with one metre distancing practised.

Isel and Broadgreen House

To ensure the health of visitors and the volunteers who run both Isel and Broadgreen houses, both facilities are closed at Red.

This does not impact The Garden Window Kiosk at Isel House, which may remain open.

 
Campgrounds

Council is owner-operator of the Brook Valley Holiday Park, which has many long-term occupants. Long-term occupants are not required to have a vaccine pass to access the place they live.

New arrivals and visitors will be required to provide a vaccine pass.

Waahi Taakaro Golf Course

The golf course will not require a vaccine pass to play.

The golf club, which is separate from the golf course, does require a vaccine pass to enter the clubhouse, golf shop, and club competitions and tournaments.

Wakapuaka Chapel/Crematorium

Vaccine pass requirements are at the discretion of the hirer or funeral director. If vaccine passes are used there are capacity limits of 25 people. 

Workers at funerals and tangihanga must wear face coverings, and mask wearing by attendees is strongly encouraged in line with government guidelines.

Without vaccine passes, the chapel will require one-metre physical distancing and will have a capacity limit of 25 people.

Funerals, tangihanga, burials at a cemetery

Vaccine pass requirements are at the discretion of the hirer or funeral director. If vaccine passes are used there are limits of 100 people.

Workers at funerals and tangihanga must wear face coverings, and mask-wearing by attendees is strongly encouraged in line with government guidelines. 

Without vaccine passes, cemeteries will require one-metre physical distancing and will have a limit of 25 people.

Venues

Nelson City Council venues will operate differently depending on whether they are booked for an event or gathering.

For all venues, with the exception of Pūtangitangi Greenmeadows Centre, the following rules apply:

If a vaccine pass is required:

Events and gatherings may occur with up to 100 attendees – the number of attendees allowed (up to 100) will depend on how many people can be in the space with one-metre distancing.

If a vaccine pass is not required:

Only gatherings can be held. At gatherings, there can be up to 25 attendees – the actual number of attendees allowed (up to 25) will depend on how many people can be in the space with one-metre distancing.

The Pūtangitangi Greenmeadows Centre will always require a vaccine pass, as it is not possible to stop different events or gatherings from intermingling in public spaces.

Events run by Council or held at Council facilities

Due to restrictions around events held at Red under the COVID-19 Protection Framework, Council has made the difficult decision to cancel some of its upcoming Summer Events, and some events scheduled to be held at Council venues are also cancelled.

February’s Opera in the Park has been cancelled, with the event likely to be held in February 2023. The Nelson Fringe Festival has been delayed until June 2022. Other events affected at Trafalgar Venues include Benee (cancelled) and Blindspott (postponed).

Events that are due to take place later in the year will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, and the COVID-19 Protection Framework rules that are in place at the time.

For event updates and further details, go to the Its On website, the Nelson City Council website, or the Nelson City Presents Facebook page.

Marina facilities and office

As people live aboard their boats at the Marina, it is not practical to require vaccine passes to use Marina facilities. A one-metre physical distancing rule will apply and mask-wearing is strongly encouraged.

The Marina office will not require a vaccine pass, but only one person can enter at a time, due to limits on space.

Pascoe street kiosk (waste/recycling)

The transfer station kiosk will not require a vaccine pass. Kiosk users should remain in their car and pay using a contactless method only.

New at Red: Mask wearing and one-metre physical distancing will be in place.

Citizenship ceremonies

Citizenship ceremonies will not go ahead at Red, pending guidance from the Department of Internal Affairs. If they do eventually go ahead they will need to follow these guidelines.

Ceremonies in the Council Chamber will be classified as events due to the number of people in a confined space. This means a vaccine pass will be required, and mask-wearing will be strongly encouraged.

New at Red: There will be a capacity limit of up to 100 people based on one-metre social distancing.

Public engagement meetings and events

Each public engagement meeting or event will need its own plan to determine the necessary requirements needed to be in alignment with the COVID-19 Protection Framework.

Meeting with Council staff

To protect the health of staff and the public, all enquiries for duty planning and building officers will be responded to by email, phone or on Zoom/Teams (video calls). Please indicate your preference when making your enquiry and an officer will contact you at the appointed time. Please be aware that under Red, more Council staff will be working from home, in line with government guidelines.

Council will update the community with new guidelines should we move to a different colour, or if there is a change for any other reason.

Mask wearing requirements in the Red setting

All masks must be attached to the head by loops around the ears or head. That means no scarves, bandannas, or jerseys pulled up over the face.

• Masks will also be required at all close-proximity businesses, food and drink businesses and events and gatherings. There will continue to be some exceptions, for example, when you are eating and drinking, at a swimming pool, or when you are doing exercise.
•  All workers who are legally mandated to be vaccinated must wear a medical-grade mask (for example a Type IIR/Level2 masks or above) while working in public-facing roles. These include the widely available blue medical-grade masks.

•  All primary and secondary school students Year 4 and up will need to wear a face mask on public transport and Ministry of Education funded school transport services.

For more information about the COVID-19 Protection Framework visit the Unite Against COVID-19 website

For more information about COVID-19 locations of interest go to the Ministry of Health website

For local information regarding COVID-19 visit the Nelson Marlborough Health website.