Editor's Note -- Weekly column written by Quesnel Mayor Bob Simpson. He can be reached via email here
City Hall was reopened to the public this past Monday with new protections put in place to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus and to protect our employees from the virus. As City staff start to return to normal operations, we’re asking the public to continue to engage with the City by phone or electronic means as much as possible.
Both City utilities and taxes can be paid online through most financial institutions and the City will accept a cheque or money order in the mail. Please note: this year the property tax due date has been extended for all ratepayers until September 30, with penalties for unpaid taxes being levied as of October 1, 2020.
If you have planning, bylaw, or tax and fee questions, you can simply call City Hall at 250-992-2111 and Quesnel City Staff will be happy to answer your questions or get the appropriate person to call you back with an answer.
As you’ll see in the Property Tax Info flyer that accompanies your tax notice: please make sure you claim your home owner grant online (https://ehog.quesnel.ca/) or fill in the form at the bottom of the tax notice page if you are paying by mail or in person.
To avoid confusion: please note, if you own property in the Cariboo Regional District you must still pay your taxes on time this year, by July 2 at 4:30 pm - full details here
City staff are also working with the province and other local governments to reopen amenities and facilities that were closed in order to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Next to open will be our playgrounds – please keep watching the City of Quesnel website and social media for an opening date to be announced. Playgrounds will be reopened on a “use at your own risk” basis, as it is simply impossible to apply additional and ongoing sanitation measures to these structures. Parents and grandparents are asked to still keep immuno-compromised children away from playgrounds (and any children exhibiting cold or flu-like symptoms) and instruct children to keep their hands away from their faces and to wash their hands thoroughly after using the playground.
A plan is being developed for the reopening of our various sports and recreation amenities that currently remain closed. Most of these facilities will be subject to incremental sanitation measures and staff will be provided the additional protection measures that have become common-place for us to see in businesses and offices throughout the city: plexiglass screens and personal protective equipment.
Any organized sports will need to operate within the guidelines established by their Provincial organization before they resume activities, and access to playing venues will not be given until they have developed a safety plan.
The tennis and pickleball courts, skateboard park, and the new South Quesnel bike park are already open and seeing high use and we know that many people are anxious to get back to some of their normal fitness and exercise routines, but we must take a stepwise process to reopening so as to not undermine the good work and successful efforts expended to date to minimize the spread of the virus.
Throughout this process, we’ve appreciated the patience and understanding of the vast majority of the public as we’ve done our part to prevent any outbreak of COVID-19 in the City and surrounding area. Once again, we ask for your patience as we ramp back up to our “new normal.”
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