The Vancouver Art Gallery will reopen its doors next month

May 20 2020, 12:57 am

The Vancouver Art Gallery confirmed Tuesday that it will reopen its doors to the public as of June 15.

While the details on what exactly it will look like when it happens are slim at the moment, a spokesperson with the Art Gallery told Daily Hive that more information on the opening, and the protocols surrounding it, will be shared “later this week.”

This, the spokesperson said, “will include a ‘know before you go’ for visitors.”

The confirmation comes on the first day of Phase 2 in BC’s reopening plan.

The focus moving forward is the restoration of health services, rescheduling elective surgeries, and permitting services such as dentistry, physiotherapy, registered massage therapy, chiropractors, physical therapy, speech therapy, and other similar fields.

These services are being carefully opened under enhanced protocols along with the following areas of the retail sector:

  • Hair salons/barbers/other personal service establishments
  • In-person counselling
  • Restaurants, cafes, pubs – with sufficient distancing measures
  • Museums, art galleries, libraries
  • Office-based worksites
  • Recreation/sports
  • Parks, beaches, and outdoor spaces
  • Transit services
  • Childcare

British Columbians are encouraged to slowly extend social contact to family and a small group of friends. Health authorities stress, however, that these gatherings should be limited to groups between two to six people.

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says that entering the new phase can still bring challenges to people as they once again adjust to a new normal.

“We are still learning the new ways of safe social interaction and doing things that we’ve never had to do before, and that in itself can create anxiety and concern,” she told reporters on Monday.

“With the easing of restrictions and the added social interaction, the potential for a flare-up and new cases does go up,” she said. “[Public health officials] will be watching very carefully, and we will ensure that we have the testing, the contact tracing, and the ability to manage any new cases that we see.”

Eric ZimmerEric Zimmer

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