Dundee City Council said its community centres and some of its libraries will reopen next month – but no date has been set on the return of gyms and swimming pools.
The local authority has adopted a phased approach to welcoming back residents to its public buildings, and the reinstatement of services, and hopes some closed facilities can open their doors from mid-September.
The coronavirus pandemic led to widespread closures in March with schools only recently returning.
The council – which is facing a £3 million funding blackhole in the wake of the outbreak – says “complex planning” is required to bring buildings and services back into use.
On Tuesday it revealed a “careful and realistic” timetable for its reopenings but warned of potential changes to service delivery.
The council’s seven community centres are due to reopen in mid-September, along with libraries that share complexes with these buildings.
Other city libraries will be subject to phased re-openings.
Arrangements are still being made to decide on the return of leisure facilities, swimming pools, housing offices, sheltered lounges, Dundee Health and Social Care Partnership day centres, and other sites.
The Dundee House customer service delivery and cash office reopened on Monday using an appointment-only system.
A Dundee City Council spokesman said: “After such a long period of lockdown, we appreciate that there is high demand for the reopening of council services and properties, as well as those operated by partners such as Leisure and Culture Dundee and the Dundee Health and Social Care Partnership.
“It is critical, however, that we strike the right balance between meeting that demand and ensuring that the complex reopening process is carried out safely and in line with the many challenges resulting from this unprecedented and unforeseen health crisis.
“Where possible, we’ll find new ways of doing things based on the learnings from the Covid-19 lockdown, which has seen widespread agile working and closer-than-ever collaboration with Leisure and Culture Dundee, the Dundee Health and Social Care Partnership, the third sector and communities themselves.
“Not everything will be as it was before. It will be some months yet before some of our services and buildings are open again, and variations in opening hours and capacities are likely.
“All of our recovery planning is about keeping service users and staff safe and ensuring
that we deliver a successful and sustainable restart. We look forward to welcoming
back our service users and customers.”
