PEOPLE should prepare to see more social distancing markers and higher levels of sanitation as the council staggers the reopening of some services.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Wagga council's community director Janice Summerhayes has warned visitors to expect a slightly different experience at the Civic Centre ahead of its customer service desk reopening on Monday.
It follows the state government's announcement this week allowing museums, art galleries and libraries to open its doors from June 1.
"It is recognition that they are important cultural and learning spaces, but mind you it comes with restrictions ... so it won't be the regular services like people are use to," Ms Summerhayes said.
Customer service desk
The council's customer service counter will be the first to return ahead of the art gallery and library located in the same building open.
Ms Summerhayes said people will have the option to visit the council face-to-face to process rates and other requests.
She said she imagines this will be welcomed by the community because "not everyone is comfortable" accessing these services online.
However, she said there will be social distancing markers for queuing customers and much higher levels of sanitation.
"We are asking the community to be patient and understanding because the staff do have to adhere to the public health orders like any other (business reopening)," she said.
Wagga City Library
The public library will reopen on June 1, however the first two weeks will focus on the borrowing and returning of resources.
Ms Summerhayes said a notable difference will be the quarantined period for borrowed books. She said the staff will have to wait three days before returning these resources to the shelves for another person to use.
In other news:
"We know that is where the community is most anxious about and want to get back into as well," she said. "But, we have to obviously have high sanitation and quarantining requirements."
Ms Summerhayes said there will be social distancing markers at service points and hand washing facilities, as well as limits on the number people in the space to abide by the four square metre per person rule.
However, the library will continue to operate group and workshop activities online such as story time and the language cafe.
The art gallery and museum
The Museum of the Riverina and Wagga Art Gallery will be open to the public on June 2.
Ms Summerhayes said there will be no group tours, programs and school visits allowed, however residents were welcome to view the current exhibitions at their own pace.