Source: Auckland Council
With the welcome news that Auckland will be returning to Level 2 at 6am on Sunday, we’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone across Tāmaki Makaurau for your patience and compliance during the seven-day lockdown. We know it hasn’t been easy.
We’re delighted to invite Aucklanders back to our community facilities and service centres from Sunday 7 March.
As we reopen, we’ll be ensuring we meet all the Alert Level 2 COVID-19 requirements designed to keep our staff and communities safe.
Our main focus at Alert Level 2 is the health and safety of our customers and staff.
We’re asking everyone to play their part. We encourage all visitors to our buildings to check in using the NZ COVID Tracer app or register their visit manually and switch the Bluetooth function on. QR codes have been placed in all our public buildings, including our libraries, pool and leisure centres and community venues.
Customers should continue to follow the government’s guidelines around hand washing and safe physical distancing. Where safe physical distancing may not be possible, the use of a face mask is recommended.
Enhanced cleaning will be carried out in our buildings, with a focus on high traffic and high use areas.
Auckland Council Libraries
- All of our libraries will reopen again from Sunday 7 March (normal opening hours apply).
- We’ll be taking a cautious approach as we move into Alert Level 2 and, as such, we will not be running any of our normal programmes and events such as Wriggle and Rhyme, StoryTime and RhymeTime, regardless of size, until it is safe to do so.
Pools and Leisure Centres
- All pools and leisure centres will reopen on Sunday (normal hours). This includes centres run by the council and its partners. Full details and any exceptions due to Level 2 restrictions be found on the aucklandleisure.co.nz website.
- Our early childhood education centres and OSCAR programmes will reopen on Monday (normal hours).
- While at Alert Level 2, our pools will be open for lane swimming only and some locations will offer leisure swimming. Our saunas and steam rooms will remain closed. Most spa pools will be open but with reduced capacity. Any exceptions due to regular maintenance will be shown on the Auckland Leisure website. Outdoor pools will be open where social distancing can be maintained.
- Some equipment within our gyms has been closed to allow for safe physical distancing.
- For all services please check the Auckland Leisure website prior to visiting.
Community Facilities, Parks and Beaches
- Under Alert Level 2, all public toilets, playgrounds, basketball courts, tennis courts, golf clubs, skate parks, pump tracks, BBQs and other facilities within our parks and open spaces will reopen to the public.
- Aucklanders planning to use these facilities should wash or sanitise their hands before and after use, keep two metres away from other users and should not use these facilities or equipment if they’re feeling unwell.
- All users of our parks, beaches, toilets and open spaces are reminded to keep track of their visits by scanning the QR code, making a note or manually entering it on the NZ COVID Tracer app.
Community Venues
- All of our 102 council-led community venues will begin to reopen from Sunday at their usual opening times.
- We are working with our 122 partners to support and encourage them reopen as soon as possible.
- Staff will continue to work with users, community groups, community partners and tutors to support them to follow Alert Level 2 guidelines.
- In line with Alert Level 2 guidelines, programmes and classes at art and community centres will be restricted to comply with physical distancing requirements.
- Specialist venues like theatres and galleries and will operate with physical distancing measures in place and a maximum limit of 100 people.
Cemeteries
- In line with the government’s Alert Level 2 guidelines, a maximum of 100 people will be allowed to attend chapel services, burials and tangihanga, at our cemeteries.
- Under Alert Level 2, memorial services, monument installations and ash burials can also be carried out. These must be booked so that staff can keep an accurate record of attendees.
- Attendance to view the cremation charge will be limited to a maximum of 20 people in designated viewing areas only and attendees are encouraged to register their visit on the NZ COVID Tracer app.
Service Centres
- Our customer service centres in the city centre (Bledisloe House and Graham Street), Helensville, Henderson, Huapai, Manukau, Orewa, Papakura, Pukekohe, Takapuna, and Warkworth will reopen on Monday 8 March.
- At this stage our service centres located within local board offices will remain closed to the public until Monday at the earliest. Auckland returns to Alert Level 1.
- Some Regulatory Services functions, such as in-person pre-application meetings and drop-in consultations, won’t be available under Alert Level 2.
For more information about Auckland Council facilities and services under COVID-19 alert levels, visit our website.
Visit the government’s COVID-19 website and the Ministry of Health’s website for information on our national response to COVID-19, health advice and the latest updates on alert levels.
