14 Feb 2021

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All Christchurch City Council's public facilities will remain open under COVID-19 Alert Level 2.

However, anyone visiting a Council facility will need to sign in, either manually or through using the NZ COVID-19 tracer app, and visitor numbers will be managed to ensure physical distancing.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced that all of New Zealand, apart from Auckland, will move to COVID-19 Alert Level 2 from midnight tonight (Sunday) for three days.

Auckland will move to COVID-19 Alert Level 3 because three cases of COVID-19 have been detected there in the community.

Mary Richardson, who leads the Council’s COVID-19 Incident Management Team, says the experience of the past 12 months means the organisation is well prepared for the change in alert levels.

“All essential services will continue to be provided as normal under Alert Level 2. Our public facilities will also remain open, but we will have to manage numbers through the door to ensure physical distancing and the ability to contact trace,’’ Ms Richardson says.

“If you are planning on visiting one of our facilities over the next couple of days please be aware that some of our facilities may be operating slightly differently than normal.

“To help keep everyone safe, please stay at home if you or anyone in your house, is unwell.’’

All governance meetings will continue under Alert Level 2 but the Banks Peninsula Community Board meeting scheduled for tomorrow has been moved from the Little River Service Centre to the community centre to allow for physical distancing.

Public transport

Metro customers are being advised that under Alert Level 2 wearing of face coverings is mandatory on public transport, except for dedicated school buses and unless exempt. 

Face coverings can be disposable masks, reusable ones, or even something you made at home.

Due to the mandatory wearing of face coverings, physical distancing is not required on public transport.

At Alert Level 2, fares are required, and the use of Metrocard as a contactless form of payment is preferred.

Passengers are reminded to scan the NZ COVID Tracer app, using the many QR codes already in place throughout Metro vehicles.

Metro’s website is the best place to go for updates.