Pool noodles, hula hoops and hockey sticks are among the tools a new team of champions is using to promote appropriate physical distancing.
More than two dozen employees from Anvil Centre, parks, library, engineering and other city departments have been temporarily reassigned to new roles as the city’s “physical distancing champions.” Unlike the city’s COVID compliance officers, who are responding to complaints about physical distancing, the physical distancing champions are taking a proactive approach to ensuring folks are following physical distancing requirements.
“They are going to be modelling good physical distancing, carrying a pool noodle or a hula hoop or a hockey stick. They will be physically showing people as they walk through the community and through open spaces what it looks like to do it right,” said Kim Deighton, the city’s manager of licensing and integrated services. “They will be complimenting people when they see them doing it right. ‘Hey, good job. Glad you’re staying safe.’ And they will do it in a fun, friendly way.”
Teams of two physical distancing champions will be visiting locations throughout the city daily.
“They are out in the community. They will be out there every day, seven days a week, conducting walkabouts,” Deighton said. “They will be in parks and open spaces. You will see them in commercial areas in the Uptown, on East Columbia. You will see them in Queensborough. You will see them all over the place.”
If the physical distancing champions happen to see spots that are challenging for physical distancing, they report those observations to the city’s COVID compliance officers.
As part of its response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of New Westminster formed a number of working groups, including one tackling education and enforcement. Initiatives taken on this front since March 23 include training of five call takers for the city’s new COVID-19 compliance hotline, five COVID compliance officers and more than 20 physical distancing champions.
Before training began for the physical distancing champions, staff in the parks department filled this role in a number of locations, including the riverfront, where there have been a lot of pedestrians and cyclists. New Westminster firefighters have also helped out on that front.
“Sometimes we can’t be in all places at all times, and that’s when we ask our colleagues at the fire department to help us out,” Deighton said. “Also, sometimes just the presence of them with the uniform and with the truck, people are then more likely to do the right thing.”
After undergoing training at city hall, where they learn what their role would be, the champions have hit the streets to encourage compliance with physical distancing requirements. Travelling in teams of two, the champions are sporting high-visibility vests and may be carrying props to model appropriate physical distancing – in a fun and friendly way.
“So far we have had a really positive response,” Deighton said. “We did receive compliments. Down at the Quay people were, ‘Happy to see you’ and ‘Happy you’re doing this.’”
