COVID-19

Garbage and recycling will continue to be picked up as scheduled.  Residents can use the Wasteline App to confirm their pickup schedule and/or visit the Garbage and Recycling Web Page for more information.

If you or a member of your household is sick or has been sick, please be sure to place any items that may have come into contact with your mouth, nose or eyes into a sealed garbage bag; including used face masks and coverings.This applies to all items that would normally be recycled such as water bottles, pop cans, juice cartons, etc.  Also, soiled tissues and paper towels are to be placed in a garbage bag and not into the recycling container.

Effective Thursday August 13th, 2020  Woodstock Transit will return to front door boarding and fare collection on Conventional and Specialized  Transit buses. In preparation, please reload your electronic bus cards at least 48 hours prior  to this date or have exact change as fare.  We regret there will be no refunds on any partially used expired monthly bus passes purchased in March/April of 2020. As fair and reasonable compensation, Woodstock Transit  has provided free bus service to all riders for the past four months. 

Passengers are reminded that masks are now mandatory on all Public Transit vehicles , unless you are exempt.

The Woodstock Art Gallery will open to the public Tuesday, August 11, 2020.

The City of Woodstock has announced the facility will reopen on August 11, following the direction of the Province of Ontario and public health officials.

The Gallery will begin its first stage of reopening with reduced hours Tuesday to Friday from 12 p.m. to 4p.m. There will also be a special hour for seniors and patrons at risk, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Public access will be limited to 30 people in the building at any given time and visitors will be required to complete a health screening upon entry.

Masks or face coverings are also required in the Gallery according to the mandate from Southwestern Public Health.

Additional health and safety measure have been put in place to protect staff and visitors including a glass barrier at the front reception desk, signage and stickers to promote physical distancing, touchless automatic doors, sanitizing stations and enhanced levels of cleaning.

Current exhibitions have been extended until the fall. There will be a moratorium on gallery openings, tours and special events until further notice. This includes the cancellation of the annual Taste of Art fundraiser and the 2020/2021 See You at the Movies film season.

 More information about the Woodstock Art Gallery’s reopening plan can be found at www.woodstockartgallery.ca.

Cowan Park Sportsplex and Southside Aquatic Centre open Wednesday, July 29. The Spray and Play Wading Pool will open Thursday, July 30.

The City of Woodstock Tax Department will begin charging penalty and interest to unpaid tax accounts at a reduced rate of .75 percent, as of August 1^st, 2020.

Woodstock Transit will be returning to full bus service on Monday, July 13th.  All bus routes will once again resume operating at thirty minute intervals during regular operating hours.

Seats will no longer be blocked off, however passengers are strongly reminded to physical distance as best they can. It is highly recommended for riders to wear a mask at all times when using public transit.

Hand sanitizers are now onboard our buses and passengers are encouraged to hand sanitize upon boarding and before exiting the bus. If you are sick or symptomatic, please stay home and avoid taking public transportation. We will continue with rear-door boarding and no fare collection until further notice.

 The City of Woodstock Public Works Department is currently putting the final touches on the relocation of the Recycling Depot to the Enviro Depot. 

The Recycling Depot is scheduled to be open to the public by appointment only commencing on the morning of Wednesday July 8th. 

The hours of operation will mirror those of the Enviro Depot: 

10am to 6pm Wednesday – Friday 

10am to 5:30pm Saturday 

The Depot will accept the same items as regular curbside collection. Please break down large sections of cardboard to 30 inches or less. 

Styrofoam is not accepted as part of the curbside collection but can be deposed of at the Enviro Depot on Saturdays. 

To make an appointment to utilize either the Enviro Depot or Recycling Depot, please contact: 519-539-2382 ext. 3102 or 3104 

Address: 944 James Street 

The City of Woodstock will be opening the Lion’s pool starting Monday, July 6 and will be running a modified summer program. Programs offered will include Aqua Fitness, Lane Swim, Family Swim, Summer Swim Team, and Private Swim Lessons.

Participants will be required to complete a strict screening requirement upon arriving to the pool. Those displaying symptoms or who do not meet the screening requirements will not be admitted.

Several extra precautions have also been put into place for the public’s safety and the safety of the staff:

• Controlled access through separate entry and exit points to ensure required physical distancing
• Customers are to arrive ready to swim, on deck showers will be available and shower must be taking with soap and water
• Increased cleaning measures in accordance with Parks and recreation Department Standard Operating Procedures
• Use of physical markers (in water and on deck) and signage to indicate the appropriate 2 meters/6 feet spacing distance and traffic flow, where appropriate
• Patrons will be required to bring in their own equipment, only essential equipment will be provided
• Diving board will be unavailable
• Change rooms are only available for use as washrooms, and only 1 person or family will be permitted at one time

FAQ's and Pool Schedule

Aquafit and Lane Swim participants must book a spot in advance by calling 519-539-2382 ext. 2720. Bookings will begin Friday, July 3 from 8:30 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Please leave a message if a staff is unavailable. Online bookings will be available soon.

Registration is on a first come, first served basis and it must be done online or over the phone. Please limit registration to one type of swim per day to accommodate as many guests as possible (ex. You may participate in 1 Aquafit class and 1 lane swim, but not 2 lane swims in one day).

Memberships will remain on hold for now due to the reduced number of programs currently available. The Summer Swim Pass is available for purchase, which allows access to Lane Swim, Aquafit, and Family Swim.

If participants have never accessed their online portal, use the reset password feature at www.cityofwoodstock.ca/onlineregistration. If this does not work, participants are encouraged to email onlineregistration@cityofwoodstock.ca to resolve.

Register in Aquatic Programs

Thursday, July 2 - Woodstock Museum NHS Re-opening July 7th

The Woodstock Museum NHS will open to the public on Tuesday July 7, 2020.

Following the direction of the Province of Ontario and public health officials, the City of Woodstock has announced the facility will open with modified hours and programming to ensure the health and safety of the community. 

The Museum will be open to the public Tuesday to Friday from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., with a special hour for seniors and visitors at risk from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

The number of people allowed in the building will be limited to 30 to maintain physical distancing and visitors will be required to complete a health screening questionnaire upon entry.

Additional health and safety measure have been implemented to protect staff and patrons including a glass barrier at the front reception desk, signage and stickers to promote physical distancing, sanitizing stations and enhanced levels of cleaning.

Museum programs, including summer camps, have been postponed or cancelled until further notice. There will be also be a moratorium on tours and special events.

The Woodstock Art Gallery is working towards reopening later in the month once appropriate health and safety measures are in place. Market Centre Theatre will remain closed to events, performances and other facility rentals until further notice.

Information on the Woodstock Museum’s reopening plan  can be found at www.woodstockmuseum.ca.

Woodstock, June 8, 2020 – The City of Woodstock is preparing for a gradual opening of City Hall on Wednesday, June 10, 2020.  Necessary precautions for safety are in place for both the public and staff.

Hours of Operation:

Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Closed daily (cleaning) 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Service Level:

• No appointment necessary
• We encourage the public to, whenever possible, consider accessing available services on-line or over the phone
• Drop offs can be made and placed in the City Hall Reeve St. mail slot
• Public access protocols:
• Only the Reeve St. entrance will be available (Dundas St. entrance will remain closed)
• One person will be permitted per customer service point
• Patron Controller/Screener will advise when customer service points are available and will also monitor designated line up area

Contact number: (519) 539 1291

The City of Woodstock’s Engineering and Public Works Departments are preparing to open “By Appointment Only” on Wednesday, June 10, 2020. Necessary precautions for safety are in place for both the public and staff. 

Hours of Operation:

Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Address: 944 James Street.

Services where appointments must be scheduled:

• Sales of bag tags, recycling bins, composters (black and green cone), rain barrels, transit passes
• Payment for parking tickets and building permits
• Watering permits

Contact number to schedule an appointment: (519) 539 2382 ext. 3102 or 3104.

All other services are to be managed over the phone, by email or by visiting our website: 519-539-1291 or www.cityofwoodstock.ca

• Public Works Complaints & Concerns
  • Potholes, catch basins, sidewalks, water issues, blocked sewers, garbage, recycling, EnviroDepot, etc.
•  General Complaints & Concerns
  • Bylaw (property standards, long grass/weeds, noise, dumping, etc.)
  • Streetlights
  • Road Reconstruction
  • Parking Enforcement & Parking Ticket reviews
• Scheduling building inspections
• Property Searches & Compliance Letters
• Permits (Building-Construct & Demolish, Sign, Pool-Fence, Decks, Road Closure, Road Excavation, etc.)
• Completed Building Permit Applications - To be dropped off in bins located in the front foyer
• Patron Controller/Screener will advise when customer service points are available and will also monitor designated line up area

We encourage you to continue to monitor www.cityofwoodstock.ca\\covid-19 and the City of Woodstock social media platforms for ongoing updates.

Summer 2020 Programs and Camp Announcement

The City of Woodstock has made the difficult decision to cancel all summer 2020 recreation, aquatic, museum, and art gallery programs including summer camps due to complications and restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic. With the current health precautions and restrictions in place, the day camp program as it was designed will not be able to run. Families who have registered for a day camp program will receive an email notification about this and procedures for credits and refunds. Your children’s health and safety is our main priority, and based on the current situation, we feel that a camp or recreation program environment would not be a safe option for participants or staff.

The City recognizes the important role that summer day camps play for families in Woodstock. The City will continue to monitor orders from the Province and guidance from Southwestern Public Health and will work to develop a modified care program, based on the restrictions and health precautions in place, when it is possible to do so. We understand that several families are looking for an in-person camp program and we are doing our best to find a safe way to provide this. If alternate programs are able to be developed, information will be shared about the programs, as well as about opportunities for registration.