Private gatherings ring up fines while ringing in new year

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This article was published 05/01/2021 (1899 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Some Winnipeggers still hosted New Year’s Eve gatherings despite public health restrictions, prompting city police to hand out 11 tickets.

A Winnipeg Police Service spokesperson said the tickets were split across two households that chose to host holiday gatherings. Fines of $1,296 can be issued to both homeowners and their guests.

The public-health orders ban indoor gatherings with guests who don’t reside together and outdoor gatherings of more than five people from different households.

“Enforcement officials respond to tips through the COVID tip line and also conduct inspections,” the provincial spokesperson said Monday in an email. “Many agencies have been doing considerable proactive work throughout the province but in some cases, enforcement is necessary.”

The WPS received 106 COVID-related calls over the holidays (Dec. 21-Jan. 3), in addition to 258 calls to the city’s 311 call centre.

Police can also issue tickets “while members are out patrolling and witness events (and) during members’ regular course of duties, be that general patrol calls or through followup investigations,” the representative said.

The government representative said “the majority” of enforcement officials’ interactions with the public have been “educational in nature,” while police say it’s likely that many warnings were doled out over the holiday weekend.

The new year brought large crowds to The Forks this weekend, as many Winnipeggers took advantage of the few activities still open.

While programming and amenities like the horse-drawn carriages typical to The Forks’ winter season have been cancelled, the Centennial River Trail opened to the public last Thursday. In an attempt to keep groups in line with public health restrictions, The Forks now has three “security ambassadors” out at any given time to monitor outdoor areas and remind people of those restrictions.

“Our thought is that it will probably last the winter,” said Clare MacKay, The Forks’ vice-president of strategic initiatives. “In the summer, when The Common was open outdoors, we had staff that were able to do that, but as the building is completely closed, we’ve brought in additional support that are able to do that.”

The ambassadors were first on duty when the Arctic Glacier Winter Park trail opened Dec. 23. MacKay said there is ample room to physically distance but there is signage up and security ambassadors in place to remind people to keep their space.

There are currently no skate rentals or indoor bathrooms available at The Forks.

Though the warm winter weather has encouraged many Winnipeggers onto the ice — at The Forks and other skating rinks around the city — outdoor activities are still subject to fines if individuals are not distancing.

— with files from Malak Abas 

julia-simone.rutgers@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @jsrutgers