With Chilliwack COVID exposure counts on the rise, local sports organizations are starting to shut down.
The Chilliwack Hawks field lacrosse association was the first to do so, cancelling all activities last weekend.
President Tyler Crompton said the plan was to re-evaluate coming out of the weekend.
“We are still discussing it as a board,” he said Tuesday afternoon. “As of right now we are still shut down. We will update things after our league meeting tonight (Tuesday).”
Chilliwack Minor Football was next, pulling the plug on the remainder of its season. CMFA president Chris Clark posted to Facebook late Sunday night.
“Due to increased numbers of Covid exposures and cases in our Chilliwack/Fraser Health community, it is with heavy hearts that the Giants executive has voted to cancel the remainder of the fall season,” Clark wrote. “Although there are no current diagnosed cases in the Giants association, we feel it is prudent at this time to protect those that are part of our association.”
Chilliwack Minor Hockey Association followed suit Tuesday afternoon.
CMHA president Lee McCaw sent out an email to hockey families and followed that with a post to the CMHA Facebook page.
“Due to the current evolving Covid-19 outbreak in Chilliwack, the CMHA board of directors has decided to pause all CMHA activities effective immediately until further notice,” he wrote. “Please check your email and our website for updates.”
Other organizations are hitting the pause button as well.
The Cheam Figure Skating Club has cancelled all activites for the week of Nov. 2-7
“This is a precautionary action being taken to aid in slowing the spread of COVID-19 amongst the youth in Chilliwack and out of consideration for the health and safety of all families involved with our club,” a post on the club’s Facebook page explained. “We will re-evalute this decision over the weekend with the hope of resuming programming next week.”
Chilliwack Ringette Association joined the list with this website post by president Mike Kinar.
“The Chilliwack Ringette COVID-19 safety committee has been monitoring the recent, evolving COVID-19 community outbreak in Chilliwack,” he wrote. “The committee met this afternoon (Nov. 3) and has decided to pause all CRA activities effective immediately until further notice.
“We will continue to gather information about this recent outbreak, monitor, and make decisions on CRA’s resumption based on how the situation evolves over the next 7-10 days.
“Note that this is not an order from Fraser Health, but a proactive response to help our community stop the spread. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.”
Chilliwack FC is the largest local sports organization to not close down. Yet.
CFC chairperson Andrea Laycock said they remain status quote for the moment, but they’re monitoring developments.
“The feedback so far is people want to continue so we’ll leave in the hands of the parents to decide, as they would about sending their kids to school,” she said.
COVID exposures have skyrocketed among Chilliwack’s youth this week after an outbreak at the Capella Dance Academy.
Twenty six cases so far have been linked to that dance studio.
READ MORE: Chilliwack Giants pull plug on fall season as local COVID cases rise
READ MORE: GW Graham secondary pauses athletic activities due to COVID
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