The Kimberley Civic Centre will re-open its doors on Sept. 18 for ice times and residents will once more be able to use the walking track as of Sept. 21, due to the COVID-19 Safe Operations Plan approved by City Council.
The creation of this plan was guided with direction from the Provincial Health Officer, the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA), Recreation Facilities Association of British Columbia (RFABC), viaSport and Sport BC.
The City said that their plan will ensure that the “highest safety standards and processes are adopted in order to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 in our community.”
In addition to protocols familiar to most people at this point — regular hand washing, staying home when sick, physical distancing — there will be other safety measures put in place specific to the Civic Centre. Most notably, all users and user groups will be required to submit their own personal safety plan to Civic Centre staff prior to being allowed access to the facility, with the exception of walking track users.
The facility’s change rooms and showers are to remain closed. Ice users are required to suit up before entering the building and will need to wear their gear out of the building, through space will be available inside for changing skates.
Entrance will be through the Mark Creek entrance way only and the exit through the parking lot on Rotary Drive.
No more than 50 people will be allowed in the building at any single time, including facility staff, players, participants and coaches. Users will be required to leave contact information with a designated person at each session.
The City asks that all users familiarize themselves with their Civic Centre COVID-19 Safe Operations Plan, which may be found here: http://bit.ly/CivicCentre
Users must sign a form indicating they have read the above document. Users should also familiarize themselves with their own provincial sporting body’s plan as well as their local group’s safety plan before participating in any activity.
The walking track will be open Monday to Friday with the following schedule:
Mondays, 9 a.m.– 10:45 a.m., Tuesdays, 9 a.m. – 12:45 p.m., Wednesdays, 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Thursdays, 9 a.m.– 12:45 p.m. and Fridays, 9 a.m. – 1:15 p.m.
Walking track users will need to use the accessibility entrance at the north east corner of the building on Rotary Drive. They will also be asked to province their name and contact information for contact tracing purposes, however they will not be required to submit a safety plan. No other users will be allowed in the building while the walking track is open.
“Ample time has been included on the Civic Centre schedule to ensure user groups are able to enter and exit the building safely between events and to give staff time to clean surfaces,” the City said in a press release issued Thursday, Sept. 17. “The complete Civic Centre schedule will be available soon.”
The Civic Centre, like most other City facilities, has been closed since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The City said they expect to make an announcement regarding the status of the Aquatic Centre by early October.
Regarding the Marysville arena, Kimberley’s Chief Administrative Officer Scott Sommerville said that the City doesn’t usually open the Marysville arena until later in the season when weather cooperates with ice-making so they have not yet made a decision for its reopening.
“Our focus has now shifted to a decision on the safe re-opening of the Aquatic Centre, and then we’ll tackle the Marysville arena decision,” Sommerville told the Bulletin.
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