Starting next week, the City of Saskatoon is sending “ambassadors” to parks to help encourage physical distancing amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.

It follows the city’s message: even with phase one of the plan to reopen Saskatchewan’s economy set to start May 4, that doesn’t mean life is back to normal.

“The goal is just to get those eyes on the parks and make sure that the things that are in place need to be in place,” said Pamela Goulden-McLeod, the city’s director of emergency management, during a virtual press conference Friday.

These ambassadors will check each of the over 200 parks in Saskatoon once a week, making sure signs and barriers are still in place, and replace them and other supplies as needed.

They’ll also remind people of rules, including that organized sports or games with groups of people are still not allowed.

Saskatoon police said it has received 286 calls about noncompliance, mainly around public and private gatherings of more than 10, people not complying with public health orders to self-isolate, and businesses not following rules.

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Of those 286 calls, police attended fewer than half.

Saskatoon police said at many calls, members found people and businesses were not in fact breaking rules. It said public awareness is the best tool in this situation.

No tickets have been issued.

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