(Coos Bay, OR – June 2, 2020) Tuesday marked the reopening of the Coos Bay Information Center after being closed for the past three months due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This re-opening coincides with the start of the annual weekly Coos Bay Downtown Farmers Market, which is held Wednesdays from 9am-2pm through the end of October. Patrons of the market frequently use the facilities available at the Coos Bay Information Center as well as use our volunteers as a resource for all there is to see and do in the area. “Since we closed our doors in March, we have diligently been preparing the center to be a safe and clean environment for our volunteers, patrons and staff,” said Janice Langlinais, Executive Director of the Coos Bay-North Bend Visitor & Convention Bureau, the organization that manages the information center on behalf of the City of Coos Bay. “With the assistance of the City of Coos Bay, we have put in place new protocols, including a plexiglass barrier along the front counter to keep our volunteers, who are mostly in the elderly and at-risk population, and our patrons protected.” Langlinais continued. Other protocols and changes residents and visitors will see at the center include: – Entrances and exits that are clearly marked. – A poster in the front entrance vestibule describing the new protocols and ways to protect from the virus. – A strong request that patrons of the center wear face coverings and maintain social distancing. – Enhanced sanitation of the center between patrons and a hand sanitizer station by the front entrance. – Center volunteers will remain behind the plexiglass counter and will be provided with face coverings to ensure their safety and the safety of our patrons. – A “You touch it, You take it” rule on all brochures. – Signage around the center reminding of our protocols. – Prepackaged sets of local brochures for easy pick up. – An expanded sign-in sheet for contact tracing. – Suspension of sampling of Cranberry Sweets candies and removal of all displays from the center that were difficult to sanitize. – Merchandise for sale will be pulled from backstock when a patron wishes to make a purchase.
“Cheryl Crockett, the Manager of the Coos Bay Information Center, has spent these last three months getting our center ready for volunteers and visitors to return,” Langlinais commented. “She conducted and oversaw a deep clean of the entire center, and used her incredible creativity for the signage around the center alerting visitors to changes that have been made.” “We invite residents to visit the Information Center as we are an incredible resource for our community,” Langlinais said. “We are not just for visitors to the area.” The Coos Bay Information Center is located at 50 Central Ave. and Highway 101 and is open Monday through Friday 9 AM to 5 PM, Saturday 11 AM to 3 PM, and Sundays during the summer season from 10 AM to 2 PM.
