Children are reappearing at City of Ballarat playgrounds, as restrictions ease and council inspects each site.
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Enjoying the last of the autumn sun, families began to return to big playgrounds like Victoria Park and Lake Wendouree from Tuesday, as gates were unlocked and fences removed.
However, prominent signs state these adventure playgrounds now have a maximum capacity of 10 people.
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The signs state "wherever possible, stay 1.5 metres apart and practise good hand hygience, especially after being in public places".
Council officers have been checking playgrounds across the city - there are more than 152 playgrounds council is responsible for, which means not all of them could be opened at once.
On Wednesday, The Courier visited more than 30, from Delacombe to Brown Hill - some still had fences or signs saying the playground was closed, while others appeared open, like the park at Lake Esmond in Canadian.
The Eureka Park playground is currently undergoing safety checks and maintenance.
The restrictions will ease further on May 31, with up to 20 people allowed at the playgrounds.
The public outdoor gym equipment around Lake Wendouree was also seen being used on Wednesday morning, however skate parks, which were allowed to reopen on Tuesday, will remain closed until further checks are carried out.
As noted in a City of Ballarat update late Wednesday evening, off-leash dog parks will reopen by June 1.
The Ballarat Library and Ballarat Aquatic and Lifestyle Centre will open on June 1 but with heavy restrictions - only outdoor classes with up to 20 people will be allowed at BALC, while there will be time limits on library visits of one hour.
The Sebastopol Library will remain closed for now, as its Maternal and Child Heath Services centre will change while the Lucas Community Hub remains a Covid-19 testing hub - the Parent Place on Sturt Street will also reopen on June 1.
Anyone staying at a facility for longer than 15 minutes will have their name and details recorded to help with possible contact tracing.
People are reminded to make cautious decisions about congregating in public as restrictions ease to reduce the risk of infection.
For more information on facilities, visit the City of Ballarat website, and for up-to-date information on restrictions, visit the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services.
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