INNISFAIL – The arena is now open for business with what the town is heralding as a “strong early” start to its reopening plan.
On Sept. 14, town council was presented with a graduated plan that emphasized the welfare of its youngest users for the next two weeks and transitioning to a cohort system with spectators being allowed into the facility. Later that day, local figure skaters and minor hockey players took to the ice on the blue rink.
However, council was also told dressing room usage and spectator attendance would not happen until at least Sept. 26.
Four days later in a news release, the town announced it was advancing further relaxations at the facility. Effective Monday, Sept. 21, one parent/guardian per participant will be allowed in the Arena for the duration of an activity, said the town news release, which also said spacing markers would be visible to establish safe designated standing/seating areas.
The town added that in alignment with provincial guidelines, cheering and yelling will be discouraged, and mask use by spectators is being recommended.
As well, the town announced that effective Monday, Sept. 28, use of the facility’s dressing rooms would resume with some restrictions in place.
In continuing to limit the overall amount of time spent in the facility, participants will still be required to arrive dressed and ready to participate, said the town’s news release. Mask use in rooms will be “encouraged”.
“It is reminded, however, that activity risking the health and safety of participants, spectators, staff or the public could lead to restrictions being reinstated,” said the news release.
During the Sept. 14 presentation to council, town staff laid out a plan that for two weeks would see the Arena reopened with strong social distancing measures in place that would lead to a cohort system.
Trish Cerin, the town’s facilities manager, noted minor hockey would have U-9, U-11 and U-13 cohorts, while figure skating and men’s hockey groups would have their own.
“Once we have allowed those cohorts we can look at allowing dressing room use and once we start allowing dressing room use we start allowing spectators,” she said.
Cerin said the best-case scenario to achieve the transition was to push off the U-5 and U-7 groups until Sept. 26 when the town would be looking at moving into dressing rooms.
She noted minor hockey would have the choice of staying with social distancing or go to a cohort system.
“If they decide to stay as a social distance group, they will not get access to change (dressing room) rooms,” she said. “The reasoning behind that is they would still have to social distance in the change rooms. Our change rooms can accommodate eight or nine people socially distanced, depending on which change room they actually get,” added Cerin.
In response to a question from Coun. Jean Barclay about whether masks will be required in dressing rooms, Cerin said it was her recommendation that if users are not physically on the ice surface or participating they must wear a mask.
“What that is going to do is take away some of that social distancing component where we are not as staff having to police a large group of people that may or may not be a cohort without enforcing that social distancing component,” said Cerin, who confirmed to Coun. Glen Carritt it was her recommendation about mask wearing, and not Alberta Health.
“Just out of curiosity will that come to council? That is not going to be my recommendation to wear masks - anywhere,” said Carritt.
Both Cerin and Todd Becker, the town’s CAO, replied that if the need arises during the initial stages of the arena reopening plan, the mask issue would come to town council.
As far as opening the red rink at the facility, Cerin said she is proceeding as per the normal policy and is hoping the ice will be ready for public on the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving.
