As we finally allow the kids to play again, I hope we can do this better next time. Ugh, I really hope there is not a next time.
I am in complete support of social distancing as key method for stopping the spread of disease. What I have taken exception to is the way in which it has been implemented, particularly as it relates to public space.
We have all seen the stories of by-law officers giving tickets to family members for playing sports in parks or parking lots. Many target the by-laws officers for being over zealous. It's not their fault - they are doing their jobs enforcing hastily constructed edicts.
The approach has been to close everything and prohibit even responsible behaviour. It is if we decided to enforce speed limits by shutting down the roads.
Go after the people breaking the law, don't target everyone.
People should be trusted to play responsibly and if needed supervised by parents properly. If they fail to do so, that is when enforcement should come into effect.
This pandemic and the response to it has hit the less well off the hardest. Not all families have backyards or a hoop in the drive way. The public park is their playground and maybe their only spot to get in some much needed outdoor recreation. To take this away in such a coarse manner is a disproportionate response.
We can do better.