Port Hardy Secondary School (PHSS) and North Island Secondary School’s (NISS) athletic tracks are now closed to the public during school hours — from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday to Friday.
The tracks are popular with walkers, runners and dogs playing fetch almost every day of the week. But in order to keep the school safe for students while provincial COVID-19 cases continue to rise, School District 85 (SD85) made the choice to restrict access.
Students are separated into cohorts, with separate entries for each grade, and staggered schedules to reduce congestion in hallways. It just made sense to keep the track area clear for P.E. classes as well.
The decision went into effect Monday, Nov. 30 until further notice.
A sign has been posted at the PHSS track from the parking lot entrance, but is not yet posted at the Huddlestan trail entrances. Signage is being posted at NISS as well.
SD85 provided the following statement “Due to COVID-19 and our protocols regarding safety for students and staff, it was decided that during school hours, the public would be asked to refrain from using our school tracks and other SD85 facilities. Student and Staff safety is our number one priority at all times. (Outside of school hours, school tracks remain open to the public).”
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Correction: dogs enjoy fetching at the PHSS track, but are banned at the NISS track.
