Community centres in the dark about fall programs

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 17/08/2020 (2038 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Local community centres are learning how to navigate the upcoming fall, following a summer of revenue losses and reduced programming due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

For the centres that have resumed some level of operations, such as Tyndall Park, Garden City, and Sinclair Park, indoor sports are mostly off the table until governing sports organizations provide return-to-play guidelines.

“It’s a waiting game to see how indoor sports will be affected,” David Desousa, operations manager at Tyndall Park CC, said. “Until we get the green light from different (sports) associations, we’ll have to wait and see.”

The centre has resumed only indoor zumba and karate, with reduced class sizes, as well as outdoor baseball and soccer.

Tyndall Park CC uses the nearby community school to host many of its activities. Programs could be interrupted if the centre is unable to access the school for reasons related to the COVID-19 pandemic. But Desousa has not yet heard if this will be an issue.

He estimated the community centre has so far lost between $10,000 and $15,000 while the facility was closed, and is ultimately losing out on rentals.

The centre has been screening visitors for symptoms, increased sanitation, and uses a contact tracking sheet.

On Aug. 17, a mandatory mask rule was implemented at Garden City Community Centre. Individuals must bring their own; masks will not be supplied, but some will be for sale at IceTime Sports inside the complex.

Office manager Margie Reis said they made this decision “for the safety of our staff and our users given the recent increase in (COVID-19) cases and the flu season coming in fall.”

The facility continues to be closed to the public. Only program participants and up to two parents/spectators per player are allowed to enter. Sanitation is still required upon arrival.

The centre itself is not currently offering any programs, but external activities include hockey and figure skating. Fall programs will depend on circumstances at the time of planning. Reis said programs like free skating and seniors activities — which typically draws around 200 people — may be in jeopardy.

Reis said individuals seeking further information should contact the centre at 204-940-6111.

Over at Sinclair Park Community Centre, staff are using screening questions and an external temperature reader to monitor facility users’ health.

“We are encouraging (masks),” board president Tracy Ball said. “We will have some available, so if somebody forgets one and they want one for their child, we’ll try to have them available.”

But this may not last long, she said, since personal protective equipment can be expensive, and the centre is already operating on a reduced budget.

The centre is not allowing parents/guardians to accompany their children for certain activities so they can allow the maximum number of children to participate, Ball said.

Bathroom access is closed off to the general public, changing rooms are closed, and appointments must be made to browse books in the library. The taekwondo program has restarted, and dance classes are expected to begin in September.

During a time when most, if not all, community centres are struggling, Ball encourages centres to band together.

“This is a time for community centres to try to pull together, and hold each other through this, and try to help support each other like, you know, hey, this works for us, maybe it’ll work for you. That sharing of information has been really important, and I think will continue to be so.”