City of Sydney goes into lockdown, closes gyms, aquatic centres

Gyms and aquatic centres will be closed and there will be restricted hours on libraries and community centres as tough new shutdown measures are announced for Sydney.

The City of Sydney council has announced it will be cancelling or postponing all non-essential events and in-person meetings, closing gyms and aquatic centres and placing restricted hours on libraries and community centres.

“The safety of our communities, customers and staff is our top priority,” Lord Mayor Clover Moore said in a statement to news.com.au.

“Over the past two months, the City has been working closely with NSW Health to ensure we respond urgently and effectively to the spread of COVID-19.

“It’s crucial that we all follow the current health advice – practising social distancing and when recommended, self-isolation.”

Sydney has been empty. Picture: David Swift.

She said they had not come to the decision to cancel events or close facilities lightly, but
“believe it’s best for the community that we do so”.

“The situation is changing daily and we are constantly reviewing our operations and services,” she said.

The council said it takes advice on all public health matters from the state and federal health departments.

As announced by Prime Minister Scott Morrison, all public, non-essential outdoor gatherings of more than 500 people, and non-essential indoor gatherings of more than 100 people have been banned.

The City of Sydney has cancelled or postponed all events of that size run by the council until further notice and will work with individual hirers of council venues in relation to their events as circumstances evolve.

People in the city have been wearing masks. Picture: John Grainger

Mr Morrison said this morning this was a once-in-100-year type event.

“We haven’t seen this sort of thing in Australia since the end of the First World War,” he said.

“But together, we are up to this challenge. All Australians, governments, health workers, teachers, nurses, journalists, broadcasters, mums, dads, kids, grandparents, aged care workers, we’re all up to this. We’re all able to deal with this.

“But we just need to continue to keep our heads focusing on the right information, making good decisions, helping and supporting each other each and every day to make the changes that are very necessary, as we deal with this very real situation. We are going to keep Australia running.”

Originally published as City of Sydney goes into lockdown, closes gyms, aquatic centres