COVID-19

Updated March 25, 2020

Given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and efforts to contain the virus spread, the Town of Oxford’s primary objectives are to keep everyone safe and healthy, provide essential services, and to maintain emergency response preparedness.

Adjusting programs and service levels to the developing situation may impact our customers. We regret any inconvenience and ask for your continued support and understanding through this challenging and unique circumstance.

All Town-owned facilities are closed to the public and any staff that can work remotely are doing so.

The Town of Oxford has a recorded information line that is available 24/7 with current information on our response to this public health emergency. Please call 902-447-3129 to hear the recorded message.

Residents and members of the public are asked to please be patient and expect that there may be additional changes as we move forward.

Status of Town Services

Essential services of fire, police, water and sewer are not currently impacted.

Now, and until further notice, Town staff will not be entering residential or commercial premises except in the cases of emergency.

For the time being, we are staffing our main reception telephone line at 902-447-2170. Requests for service will be addressed on a priority and capacity basis considering the safety of the public and Town staff.

The Town continues to accept payment of accounts by mail. Send your cheque to: Town of Oxford, PO Box 338, Oxford, NS B0M 1P0. Online/telephone banking payments may be made via your financial institution. Also located on the Council Door at the Town Hall is our secure 24-hour Drop Off Mail Box to accept payments.

Interest will not be added to outstanding accounts for the month of March 2020. Should further arrangements become advisable an announcement will be made at a later date.

Status of Town Facilities

All Town owned facilities are closed to the public. This includes:

Town Hall
Fire Hall
Oxford Capitol Theatre
Oxford Arena
Public Works Office and Garage
Oxford Pioneer Heritage Hall
Black River Park
Ballfield (D.L George Henley Memorial Ballfield)
Temporary location of the Oxford Public Library
Skate Park (As noted by the Chief Medical Officer, this is considered a type of playground. The Town is not cleaning or sanitizing the equipment at this location.)

Note: The Transfer Site remains open for the time being. Residents are encouraged to limit their time at this location, to drop materials quickly and maintain social distancing.

Status of Programs and Events

All recreation activities and future programming are cancelled/postponed until further notice. This includes:

March Break Programming - cancelled
Fun Hockey – cancelled
Babysitting Course on April 9th - postponed
Volunteer Awards – postponed
JR NBA, Pickleball and Adult basketball – delayed until the OREC opens
Youth on the Move after school program – cancelled
Senior Bingo – cancelled
All activities at the Oxford Arena, Oxford Capitol Theatre, and Oxford Pioneer Heritage Hall – cancelled

Status of meetings of Council and Committees

All in-person meetings of Council and committees are cancelled for the month of March. Alternative meeting solutions are being explored.

Information for Business and Employers

The Cumberland Business Connector, on behalf of all three municipal units in the Cumberland Region is co-ordinating the flow of information to business and employers. This effort is also being supported by the Business Development staff in each of the municipalities. This information is available on the Connector’s website by clicking on the following links:

Health Related Information and Reminders

Nova Scotia Health Authority has established COVID-19 assessment centres. If you need in-person assessment, please call 811 and they will refer you to a centre. Do not go to a COVID-19 assessment centre unless 811 has referred you.

Visit Novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for information about protecting yourself and others from the spread of COVID-19.

Follow any advice and recommendations from your personal health care provider and governing bodies such as Public Health Agency of Canada regarding COVID-19.

The Province of Nova Scotia declared a state of emergency on March 22, 2020, in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19. We must all follow the Public Health Orders and Directions. Further information is available at https://novascotia.ca/coronavirus/.

For more information from the provincial and federal governments

Community

Let’s be caring and safely check on family, neighbours and friends, ensuring that they are well, have the resources they need, and are receiving public information. Please continue to wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands; stay home if you or someone in your home is sick; and cough or sneeze into your elbow sleeve.

Thank you for working together to keep our community healthy and safe.