The list of events being cancelled in and around Hope began to grow last week, as public officials attempt to stop the spread of COVID-19.
In addition to major sports leagues announcing cancellations, Hockey Canada nixed the rest of the hockey season. That will include the South Coast Women’s Hockey League provincial championship, which was slated for later this month at the Hope Arena. Many events that were cancelled will be rescheduled at a later date, but others were just cancelled outright.
The fourth annual LEGO show at Silver Creek elementary, and a house pole ceremony at Hope secondary school were both cancelled because of the size of the events. The event organizers made the decision to postpone following the government’s request that all events including more than 250 people be cancelled. Watch for a date for these events in the future.
A concert by Steve Palmer to be held March 22 at the Hope United Church, and the St. Petryk’s Day Hockey tournament in Hope last weekend were cancelled.
The Ladies Auxiliary for the Fraser Canyon Hospital also made the decision to cancel their annual Fashion Show due to coronavirus concerns. Tickets will be refunded at the Auxiliary Gift Shop in the hospital.
READ MORE: Fraser Valley Regional Library branches closed to the public until further notice
On Monday, health officials then stepped up the guidelines, asking organizers to cancel events that would have 50 or more people. Organization closures announced this week include all Fraser Valley Regional Library locations, UFV classes, and the Hope and Area Recreation Centre, which closed as of Tuesday, March 17.
The Hope Visitor Centre also announced it was closing on Tuesday morning, “as a precautionary measure.”
There has also been a province-wide shutdown of casinos and bingo halls, through the BC Lotto Corporation.
Even smaller gatherings and meetings have made the decision to suspend their activities to encourage social isolation. That includes the Peer Support for Mental Health weekly meetings. They will resume when it is deemed appropriate, say organizers. The Hope Eagles Market has also made the decision to cancel their March market, and hope to be back for the end of April.
And while Manning Park Resort kept their ski hill operational a few days longer than some of the other hills around the province, they announced late on Monday that they would be suspending operations by Wednesday (March 18).
“Manning Park Resort, while sitting on a great deal of snow, recognizes it has a role to play in protecting the public and our staff,” they announced online. “This temporary closure will include all areas of Manning Park Resort including the lodge and cabin accommodations, all food and beverage outlets, as well as the Nordic Centre and ski area. The snowshoe and backcountry trails in E.C. Manning Park remain open.”
If you have an event that’s been cancelled, postponed, or forging ahead, email all the details to news@hopestandard.com.
READ MORE: Chilliwack Cultural Centre postpones several events due to COVID-19 concerns
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