The Dunedin City Council said that after the recent shift to Level 2, the Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Toitu Otago Settlers Museum and Lan Yuan-Dunedin Chinese Garden will reopen today.
Cam McCracken, director of all three council-owned institutions, said staff were keen to share the city’s cultural treasures with visitors.
Visitors could also expect some changes, including the need to follow social distancing guidelines and contact tracing protocols, and restrictions on the number of people allowed inside at one time. Food and beverages would not be served at Lan Yuan, and Toitu Cafe would stay closed at least for the next week.
Opening hours for the three institutions had been cut to 10am-4pm, to allow time for extra cleaning and preparation.
The Otago Museum reopens to the public from 10am to 5pm, the cafe running from 9am until 4pm. New protocols will be in place for visitors to the museum, including sign-in on arrival to help with contact tracing.
On Monday, Moana Pool would reopen for lane swimming and aqua jogging only, from 6.30am-6.30pm daily. The main pool and dive/lap pool would be open but the leisure pool, dive pool, water slide and spa would remain closed, and showers would be unavailable.
Pool user numbers would be limited to ensure social distancing. DCC sports grounds would also reopen from Monday, for training only, given Government guidelines on gatherings of no more than 10. Changing room facilities would also remain closed.
On Thursday, Dunedin’s public libraries would also open, allowing visitors to return library items, and to borrow them, including books, and to use free Wi-Fi, the DCC said. Customers were asked to visit for no longer than 30 minutes.
The library’s free public access internet computers and newspapers would also not be available. The Green Island Landfill, transfer station and recycling drop-off area had reopened, as had playgrounds, dog parks, the city’s parks and reserves and the Dunedin Botanic Garden.
However, the information centre and cafe remained closed for now. The council’s Plaza Customer Services Centre would reopen on Monday, weekdays from 10am-4pm, for general inquiries, payments and building, planning and property search services only.
Most other DCC service centres would be reopening on Wednesday but with restricted hours.
