Sask. golf courses, gun ranges and drive-ins to take extra precautions when reopening Friday

Busy opening Watch: CTV Saskatoon’s Nicole Di Donato on how some business owners are expecting a busy reopening.

SASKATOON — Golf courses, gun ranges and drive-ins will be next to start reopening in Saskatchewan, but they won’t operate the way they used to.

Ron Erikson, general manager of The Willows Golf and Country Club in Saskatoon, anticipates a busy opening weekend but expects new measures to limit the potential spread of COVID-19.

“They’ll see things that are happening that were never done before like power cart sanitation or hand cart sanitation,” he said.

“I think when they get on the golf course it’ll be pretty much the same. Obviously there’s some requirements, not touching the flag stick, and we’ll have a lot of touch point things that are normally on the golf course that won’t be on the golf course anymore.”

Erikson said that includes benches, ball washers and bunker rigs.

Last month, the Saskatchewan government released its plan to gradually reopen the province. Under phase one of that plan, golf courses can reopen on May 15.

The province has set out strict guidelines including longer tee-time intervals, physical distancing measures and sanitization protocols.

Erikson said he and his staff are taking this seriously and have closed all public areas aside from the golf shop and one set of washrooms.

“We’ll have attendants, we’ll have ushers and we’ll have cleaners and we’ll be providing sanitation and disinfection with wipes.”

Drive-in theatres will also be able to reopen on Friday.

Ray Boutin, owner of The Prairie Dog Drive-In Theatre in Carlyle, said he’s excited to open.

“It’s always fun firing up the theatre and especially this year as it looked like we were maybe just going to open up in Phase Four which had no timeline on it. So, to be opening this weekend is awesome.”

Boutin said his drive-in will be operating at 50 per cent capacity and will be taking extra precautions, including having limited access to the concession stand and a protective screen in place to limit contact with customers and staff.

“In the past, people get out of their vehicles and sit in their lawn chairs, but at this time, we ask that people do remain in their vehicles and keep a social distance of at least two metres when they are in line to get concessions, and five metres between vehicles,” he said.

Northern Elite Firearms in Prince Albert will be reopening its retail store and gun ranges on May 19.

Owner Heith Olmstead said the gun range will be at limited capacity when it opens and there will be space between each lane.

He said staff will also be cleaning anything that a customer may contact.

“When they go downstairs to shoot and they’re on lane one, we’re going to clean the bench, the glass, the targeting system, everything that a customer would touch will get cleaned including all of the doors.”

As for the retail store, Olmstead said only two customers will be allowed in at a time and will not be able to touch items unless they plan on purchasing them.