News | 12 May 2020
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Wellington City Council services and facilities at Level 2

Following Monday’s announcement by the Government, Wellington City Council is pleased to announce most of its services and facilities can reopen and resume as the country moves into Alert Level 2 on Thursday 14 May.

Two people on mountain bikes next to a sign post at the top of Makara Peak. View of Wellington in the background.

Alert Level 2 means more freedom with every day activities, but there are still measures in place to keep the country safe through being able to trace our movements, insuring public distancing is in place, hygiene practices are followed, and Government guidelines are followed to stop any new transmission and stamp out any outbreaks.

One of the key tools in containing potential transmission is through contact tracing. The Rippl app will be used for this purpose, alongside membership and paper-based sign-in systems for people who don’t have smartphones, or prefer not to use apps.

Mayor Andy Foster says: “We will all have more opportunities to move around our city, engage in activities, reconnect with our friends and whanau, support local businesses and also other regions, but our top priority is always going to be the safety of our people.

“We are putting numerous measures in place to ensure we are following the guidelines recommended by the Government, but it means there may be some inconvenience, delays, or limited access. We encourage everyone to be patient and understanding, and also be kind to our staff – they are just doing their job in difficult circumstances.

“So while many of our facilities and businesses can reopen, we can visit local restaurants, cafes, and bars, travel regionally, return to all recreational activities, and celebrate life’s important milestones – we have to do all these safely, so we don’t undo all the good work.”

Below is the status of many Council services and facilities at Alert Level 2, but we remind people that they still need to follow the government’s guidance, specifically:

  • COVID-19 is still out there. Play it safe.
  • Keep your distance from other people in public.
  • If you’re sick, stay home. Don’t go to work or school. Don’t socialise.
  • If you have symptoms of cold or flu call your doctor or Healthline and get tested.
  • Wash your hands. Wash your hands. Wash your hands.
  • Sneeze and cough into your elbow, regularly disinfect surfaces.
  • If you have been told to self-isolate you must do so immediately.
  • Keep a track of where you’ve been and who you’ve seen.

Waste Services:

  • Kerbside rubbish collection continues
  • Kerbside recycling collection starts Tuesday 12 May – with recycling collected under Level 3 going to Landfill as sorting plant doesn’t reopen until Level 2
  • The Southern Landfill will reopen to the public on Thursday 14 May
  • The Tip Shop and bulk Recycling Centre remains closed

Other Council services and facilities restarting at Alert Level 2 (where physical distancing and hygiene protocols can be maintained):

  • Parking – metered and coupon parking resumes normal service on Tuesday 12  May alongside existing Parking enforcement activities
  • The Service Centre on Manners Street reopens on Monday 18 May
  • Wellington City Libraries’ will reopen the Cummings Park (Ngaio), Waitohi (Johnsonville), Karori, Kilbirnie and Newtown branches from 10am, Thursday 14 May. Arapaki Manners Library and Service Centre, and the Wadestown Library will reopen Monday 18 May. All other branches will remain closed for the time being due to space and staffing reasons
  • Common Ground café in the Waitohi hub opens Thursday 14 May
  • All parks and open spaces, tracks and trails, continue to be open, this includes: sports fields (but not changing rooms)
  • Playgrounds, skate parks, the Berhampore Golf Course, Hataitai Velodrome, Ian Galloway BMX Track, pump tracks, beaches, boat ramps and marinas are now all open
  • All public toilets will open. Except in facilities where there aren’t separate staff toilets
  • Swimming Pools will open, with restrictions in place:
    • Wellington Regional Aquatic Centre will open 14 May
    • Freyberg Pool and Fitness Centre will open 14 May
    • Keith Spry Pool will open 16 May
    • Karori and Tawa Pool will open 18 May
    • SwimWell swim school will open with a reduced programme on 18 May
  • ClubActive Gym will open 14 May
  • ASB Sports Centre will open 18 May
  • Nairnville and Karori Recreation Centres will open 20 May. Tawa and Kilbirnie Recreation Centres will remain on hold for the time being
  • The Treehouse, Begonia House and Otari Wilton’s Bush Visitor Centre in the Wellington Gardens will open 18 May
  • Picnic Café will open 14 May
  • Cemetery gates will open for vehicle access 14 May
  • The gate to the Brooklyn wind turbine off Ashton Fitchett drive will be opened for recreation access
  • Dog registrations – no charge for registrations for new dogs until 30 June 2020
  • The Cable Car: Children travel free at weekends, wellingtoncablecar.co.nz
  • Zealandia: Free entry, visitzealandia.com
  • The Wellington Zoo: Open 18 May, entry free and by online booking from midday 13 May, wellingtonzoo.com
  • Community Centres – some will reopen to the public:
    • Newlands, 10am-3pm
    • Linden 12pm-2pm
    • Tawa 9am-1pm
    • Churton Park 10am-1pm

    • Services and facilities that will remain closed at Alert Level 2:

    • Toi Pōneke Arts Centre will remain closed to the public – but open to residents
    • Harbourside Market will not open under Level 2 at this stage
    • City Archives – online services only
    • The gate at Owhiro Bay that provides access to Red Rocks and the south coast will remain closed to vehicles due to significant storm damage and erosion of the track following the recent large swells.

    All services and facilities will be updated with Alert Level 2 status at 5pm on Wednesday 13 May on the Wellington City Council website section dedicated to Covid-19 information.

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