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COVID-19 Update
More updates from our Section can be found here: https://skateabnwtnun.ca/home/covid-19-3/
Message from the Lake Bonavista Community Association, February 28, 2022
As per provincial health actions, Alberta will enter Step 2 on Tuesday, March 1st, 2022.
At that time, the following measures will be updated:
- Provincial mask mandate will be lifted.
- except in high-risk settings, including on public transit, at AHS-operated and contracted facilities, and all continuing care settings.
- Any remaining school requirements removed.
- Youth screening activities for entertainment and sport activities removed.
- Capacity on all large venues and entertainment venues lifted.
- Indoor and outdoor social gathering limits lifted.
- Mandatory work-from-home requirements lifted.
The LBCA supports and respects the personal decisions of individuals that may choose to continue wearing a mask beyond March 1st.
We thank you for your continued support and look forward to better days ahead.
Lake Bonavista Community Association
Message from the Lake Bonavista Community Association, Tuesday, February 8, 2022
Skate Canada Vaccine Requirements
https://mailchi.mp/skatecanada/zc1frupiv3?e=df260f2d7c
Message from the Lake Bonavista Community Association, Friday, September 17, 2021
Provincial Restrictions Exemption Program
- The EAST entrance of the facility will be monitored by security personnel, who will validate proof of vaccine/test/exemption during all operating hours. All other doors will be closed.
- In compliance with the Restrictions Exemption Program, visitors will be required to stop at a station and show documentations each and every time they visit the facility.
Message from the Section: Thursday, September 16, 2021
Additional measures that facilities or municipalities may require must be adhered to. - coming soon!
All participants (skaters, coaches, volunteers, officials, staff) when indoors must:
- Screen for symptoms prior to participating in programming
- Maintain 2 metres physical distancing from others
- When not on ice or engaged in dryland training, all participants must maintain 2 meters distance in the facility
- Coaches, Officials, Volunteers need to maintain 2 metres of distance from skaters at all times
- Dance/Pair/Synchro Teams can continue to train “in hold” position over the weekend but must be distanced when not in training (18 & older can continue to train in hold with under 18 skaters over the weekend)
- Wear face masks
- Skaters are not required to wear masks when on ice or engaged in dryland training, but must wear masks at all other times in the facility or if they have provided proof of a medical face mask exemption
- Coaches, Officials, Volunteers are required to wear face masks at all times, unless engaged in intense physical activity, or if they have provided proof of a medical face mask exemption
- Spectators are restricted to 1/3 of the fire code capacity, must wear masks, and maintain 2 metres physical distancing between households
Sincerely,
Lisa Hardy
Message from the President of LBFSC, Friday, September 3, 2021
Masks are required in all indoor spaces. This means skaters will not be required to mask while on the ice. They will wear them up until the point they go on the ice.
Message from the President of LBFSC, Monday, June 14, 2021
We are extremely excited to welcome everyone back on the ice this summer, July 5 to July 30!
Registration for our Summer School starts on Tuesday, June 15, 2021. More information and registration can be found here: https://www.lbfsc.ca/
Here are a few things you need to know.
- Arrive no more than 15 minutes before your session. Do not forget your mask!!
- When you arrive, please check in with one of the coaches in the lobby. They will direct you to your assigned dressing room. Please stay in your dressing room until your coach comes to get your skater.
Spectators
- Spectators are allowed in the facility. Parents, you may help your child with their skates.
- Parents/Guardians cannot watch from inside the small arena.
- Spectators must still wear a mask and maintain 6ft physical distancing.
- Come dressed for the cold. Snow Pants, a warm jacket, and mittens are a must.
- A CSA-approved helmet is required for your child to skate - NO bike helmets!
- COVID-19 restrictions require that all participants, including our coaches and program assistants, maintain physical distancing. This means your skater must be able to skate unassisted. If you have any concerns with this, please let us know.
Message from the President of LBFSC, Friday, April 30, 2021
Hello LBFSC Families,
Hello LBFSC Families,
Message from the President of LBFSC, Wednesday, April 8, 2021
We have secured more ice* for our CanSkate Spring Academy program as follows and asking our parents to move to another day/time in order to comply with the step back.
Message from the President of LBFSC, Wednesday, April 7, 2021
Hello CanSkate Families,
Message from the President of LBFSC, Tuesday, April 6, 2021
Hi STARSkate and Pre-STARSkate families,
Message from the President of LBFSC, Tuesday, February 16, 2021
Hello Parents,
The LBFSC has decided to cancel the winter session of our CanSkate, CanSkate Parent and Tot, and CanPowerSkate programs for the 2020-2021 season.
We regretted having to do this and waited until we felt we have no choice, with only a few weeks remaining in our season.
We hope that we can offer skating in Spring and/or Summer, but it will depend on Alberta Health Services and our governing body to give us the go-ahead to hold group lessons. Please keep checking our website and social media for announcements in the coming weeks.
Refunds will be processed this week, and it is up to the card-issuing bank as to how long the refund will take. Some refunds can go back to the cards within a couple of days, and others will take longer. It is not unusual, but it can take up to 15 business days in some cases. Please be patient.
If you have any questions or would like more information, please don't hesitate to contact us.
On behalf of our coaches and program assistants, we look forward to seeing you soon!
Thanks,
Jacqueline West
LBFSC President
Message from the Section: Sunday, February 7, 2021
CanSkate, Can Power and Parent/Tot programs are not allowed at this time. Focus should remain on private or semi-private (max of 3 skaters) lessons for the week of February 8 – 14th while the Section seeks additional clarification from the Province as to what additional measures may be required for this type of programming.
Age 18 and younger participants skating indoors are permitted to be coached in private, semi-private (up to 3 skaters) under the following conditions:
- All skaters must always remain 3 meters apart (9 feet). Cohort groups are not permitted.
- Maximum of 10 people including participants and coaches at any time.
- Coaches are to always remain masked; skaters are not required to wear a mask while on the ice but must wear a mask anywhere else in the facility.
The Section is not permitting volunteers, parents, spectators, skaters, or coaches to congregate or gather creating a group setting in or out of the facility. Clubs and skating schools are expected to always ensure full compliance.
Message from the Club President: Saturday, February 6, 2021
Date: January 31, 2021
From: Lisa Hardy, Executive Director Skate Canada: Alberta-NWT/Nunavut
Good Afternoon Clubs / Skating Schools, Coaches and Officials:
On Friday we received welcomed news that if numbers do not increase, arena’s will be permitted to re-open again on February 8th with restrictions. Additional changes or further clarity may come once the public health order is issued, however based on the information released to date and clarification we have received from the Province, the following is our current understanding of how these restrictions apply to our sport.
Indoor one on one training is permitted with the following restrictions:
- Only professional, certified coaches are permitted to provide indoor training sessions at this time. • Individual training sessions must be scheduled/booked in advance. Group or Drop-in sessions are not permitted.
o Individual practice and warm-ups are not currently permitted. Skaters must always be in a scheduled training session.
- Coaches must be providing active instruction and correction to the skater during the session. o Passive supervision is not considered training, consequently skaters must be in an active training session with a coach for warm up, training, and cool down while in the facility.
- A coach and skater may only interact with each other in the facility. Interaction with other skaters and coaches during a session is not permitted.
- A skater may not move between coaches for multiple sessions in a day.
- A coach may schedule more than one scheduled session per day. In between skaters, the coach is to sanitize all high touch areas.
- Coaches are to remain masked at all times; skaters are not required to wear a mask while on the ice but must wear a mask anywhere else in the facility.
Maximum numbers permitted on the ice:
- Facilities may vary in the maximum numbers that they will permit on the ice at any one time. The Section recommends no more than 8 skater/coach sessions being run at ice level concurrently to ensure the 3 metres (9 feet) between skaters and coaches can be kept at all times.
- More than one coach/skater ‘pair’ are permitted to be on the ice at one time, but coaches and skaters must: o Stay 3 meters (9 feet) away from any other coaches and skaters at all times including entering and exiting the building and ice surface
o No interaction with other skaters and coaches is permitted
▪ A coach may only interact with their assigned skater
▪ A skater may only interact with their assigned coach
We are still seeking clarification on whether members living in the same household can be trained together in the same session and will send out an additional update when we have further information.
If you have any questions, please email returntoskating@skateabnwtnun.ca.
Sincerely,
Lisa Hardy
Executive Director
Date: January 3, 2021
Message from LBFSC
Hello Parents,
Our winter programs were set to start this week. At this time, we do not know exactly when we will be back on the ice as the ice arena at the Lake Bonavista Recreation Centre is temporarily closed. We will not know any sooner than what gets reported in the media when it will open.
Due to the recent Alberta Health Orders, we cannot start up our programs, and we are planning to change our program start and may extend our end dates when we get the go ahead. Please continue to watch your email, the website, and social media for more information as it becomes available.
Thanks, and stay safe!
Lake Bonavista Figure Skating Club
Date: December 13, 2020
From: Lisa Hardy, Executive Director Skate Canada: Alberta-NWT/Nunavut
Message from the LBFSC President - Friday, November 27, 2020 6:56 PM
Message from the LBFSC President - Thursday, November 12, 2020 6:00 PM
Message from the Lake Bonavista Recreation Centre
*Please note: individuals participating in physical activity are not required to wear a mask.
Spectators:
- ONE parent/guardian per family is now welcome in the facility to spectate from the lobby.
- Parents cannot watch from inside the small arena.
- Spectators must still wear a mask and maintain 6ft physical distancing.
Dressing Rooms:
- Dressing rooms are only used for putting skates on.
- Dressing rooms cannot be used to change clothes. The doors must always stay open as these are co-ed rooms.
- Skaters must continue to wear their masks in the dressing room.
- Skaters must keep their belongings with them in a small bag. Dressing rooms cannot be used to store belongings.
Other Notes:
- It is imperative that you arrive early and be on time for your skating session.
- If you arrive late, you must have your skater wait inside the door to the small arena until the coach is able to come off the ice to administer the health questionnaire and check the skater in. Do not send them on the ice if they are late.
- Please understand that when a skater is late, it disrupts the ongoing lessons as the coach must leave the group they are teaching to perform the COVID-19 procedures. Please arrive on time.
- Spectator areas are closed until further notice
- Parents, coaches, users and participants should not linger in the facility. Please leave promptly after helping your child or your scheduled booking time.
- Users must wait in the change room until their scheduled ice time.
- Parents assisting children with skates are asked to do so on the large ice bleachers and to leave the facility promptly after assisting your child
- Early/Late users will result in a $100 fee per person to the booking contact.
- Large Ice users should enter and exit the ice via their assigned players bench.
- Small Ice users should practice physical distancing when using the entry/exit.
Skate Canada: Alberta-NWT/Nunavut Return to Skating Phase 2 Protocols
Date: July 3, 2020
From: Lisa Hardy, Executive Director Skate Canada: Alberta-NWT/Nunavut
Good Morning Clubs and Skating School Directors,
Since the June 12, 2020 launch of Phase 1 Return to Skating twenty Section clubs in Alberta are now offering some form of programming to their skaters or will be starting next week. It is good to see many young athletes doing what they love in a safe and healthy environment and for everyone to feel some sense of normalcy.
We expect this number to increase significantly as arenas continue to re-open and Phase 2 protocols become available to offer expanded programming. Club and Skating School resources for Return to Skating Phase 1 Return to Skating Protocols and the Return to Skating Club and Skating School COVID-19 Playbook, along with a variety of templates and forms may be found on the section website under Highlights / Return to Skating. Resources are updated as new information is available or as restrictions are lifted, so please continue to check the website for updated resources.
Thank you for your patience and Good Luck as we continue together in this adventure.
Skate Canada: Alberta - NWT/Nunavut Return to Play Protocols – PHASE 1
Version 1.2 – June 11, 2020
Clubs and skating schools shall limit programming in Phase 1 as follows:
• STARSkate (recreational competitive stream), Power Skating (Advanced
Stage of Development), Competitive and Adult skaters only at this time
• CanSkate (learn to skate), Power Skating (Early / Moderate Stages of
Development), Inclusive Skating and any Junior Academy-type
programming should not be taking place during Phase 1
No events (carnivals, fun meets competitions, simulations, assessment days) will
be sanctioned during Phase 1
Skate Canada: Alberta-NWT/Nunavut will communicate in subsequent Versions
of these Protocols updated information as it becomes available or as we move
into Phase 2 of Return to Skating.
Update: June 9, 2020
COVID-19 Return to Play Protocol Section Communication to Clubs, Skating Schools and Coaches
We are excited to share that it was announced today that Return to Skating has been included in Stage 2 of the Province of Alberta’s Relaunch Strategy.
“Stage 2 will allow additional businesses and services to reopen and resume operations starting June 12 with 2 metre physical distancing requirements and other public health guidelines in place.”
Indoor recreation, fitness and sports, including gyms and arenas, as well as casinos (with restrictions) have been approved to reopen with the launch of Stage 2. The opening of casinos again is a welcome addition to the opening of arenas as we know many of our clubs and the Section rely on casinos as a part of their fundraising efforts.
I realize you can feel the momentum that is building behind returning to the ice and I understand your excitement, but we want to ensure we maintain forward momentum. We don’t want to take any steps, or miss any steps, that might result in an interruption of Return to Skating. The Section has worked with the Provincial Health Authorities, the National Sports Organization (Skate Canada), other Skate Canada Sections and many other Provincial Sport Organizations to ensure we are all committed to relaunching our sports in a measured approach and with the health and safety of our members as our #1 priority, and we need to continue on that same path.
As I have previously mentioned, we will be releasing a Club Playbook soon that will provide guidance to ALL clubs, skating schools and coaches and will ensure we relaunch skating in a CONSISTENT and SAFE manner. I realize it is tempting to have each club build their own processes but please know our protocols and templates are intended to eliminate much of the administrative burden that will be placed on the clubs as a result of tracking and managing the COVID-19 pandemic.
The RETURN TO SKATING CLUB AND SKATING SCHOOL COVID-19 PLAYBOOK has been created based on the Skate Canada: Alberta-NWT/Nunavut Section’s protocols currently under review. Today we received the Indoor Return to Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation guidance document from the Province and are now reviewing and making any adjustments required to ensure all provincial guidelines are met. Once all reviews are complete and we have received Board approval we will distribute these to you, hopefully by the end of the week. I ask that you refrain from building your own policies and processes until you have a chance to review the Playbook.
Return to Skating will not be straightforward. It will vary by municipality and even within municipalities but it is imperative we all work together to meet the Provincial guidelines and the Skate Canada: Alberta-NWT/Nunavut Return to Skating Protocols. In most cases, you will likely need to work with other Skate Canada Clubs and Skating Schools, or other sports organizations (hockey, ringette) in order to make ice sports accessible to your members.
It is imperative that each club should designate a single point of contact within the club or skating school who is responsible to work with your facilities and municipality and who will ensure the implementation and adherence of safety of public health guidelines. It is also important that clubs and coaches work collaboratively together through this process. These steps will be vital moving forward to ensure consistent protocols and processes are in place within the organization for proper management and implementation.
We have many talented individuals within our Section, and everyone wants to return to skating as soon as possible but please ensure communications from your club are coordinated both in messaging and execution.
As I promised during the Return to Skating update at the AGM, we have scheduled a Town Hall webinar for Saturday June 13, 2020 at 10:00am where we will provide an update, review the resources available, and take questions from the participants.
We will also be sharing resources as they become available through-out the week to assist clubs and skating schools in starting the work needed to be ready to get back on the ice.
As we build new relationships and look at new ways to deliver the sport of figure skating, we will end up stronger in the end as a result. And we will certainly have quite a story to tell when this is over!
Sincerely, Lisa Hardy
Executive Director
Update: June 2, 2020
To our clubs, skating schools, coaches, officials, volunteers and our skaters, I want you to know that we miss you and are thankful for your continued engagement, resilience, resourcefulness and ability to adapt as we manage our way through these unprecedented times.
As we approach the beginning of the fourth month away from sport, we are all beginning to see more media attention on Return to Play. I want to assure you that our section is highly involved in these discussions and we have been advocating for Return to Skating in consultation with insurance providers, health and government authorities, our National Sports Organization (Skate Canada) as well as all other Alberta Provincial Sports Organizations and Skate Canada sections.
As all sports organizations progress on Return to Play across the country, we do so by working closely with different health authorities. Each province’s approach may vary in timing, in sense of urgency and based on a (potentially different) variety of factors. Please know, we are passionate at wanting to facilitate Return to Skating as soon as possible and are doing everything we can to make that happen.
The Skate Canada: Alberta-NWT/Nunavut section has been actively been working on, and advocating for, an earlier relaunch of skating and the opening of low-risk facilities in the Province. In addition to this ongoing advocacy work, we submitted an Early Re-launch proposal to Alberta Health and the Province in anticipation of this week’s assessment of recreation, sport and fitness activities.
We have also been receiving questions regarding what is permissible for outdoor training and activities. In our last update on May 11th we referenced the opening of greenspaces in Stage 1 of the Provincial Relaunch and the “lifting of the suspension of Skate Canada activities with limitations”. Since then, the Province has released two Guidance documents related to those activities.
Please see that attached update for more detailed information on our Return to Play strategy, and explanation of the Provincial Guidance documents that apply to anyone holding training activities outdoors.
Skate Canada: Alberta-NWT/Nunavut will continue to work on behalf of our membership to resume skating as soon as possible in the section and will continue to provide updates to the membership. We feel the work, meetings, and collaboration done by the section to date is being heard and we are seeing results. Dr Hinshaw’s recent public comments regarding the assessment of individual sports and facilities and her openness to promote their scheduled relaunch has been very encouraging. We look forward to a decision at the Emergency Management Cabinet soon.
I will be hosting a town hall to answer questions once we have more definitive answers from Alberta Health or the Province regarding our Early Re-launch proposal, draft protocols or indoor facilities opening.
Sincerely,
Lisa Hardy
Update: May 11, 2020
As we have seen over the past two months the COVID-19 virus continues to remain fluid and provide more questions than answers for all of us as to what the information we receive means and when are we able to get back on the ice. The challenge in finding answers to these questions are amplified by the fact that each Provincial jurisdiction across Canada has their own restrictions in place as well as their own individualized re-launch strategy and process.
During the last 2 months, we have been actively engaged with our Government Sports Consultant and managers, participated in several meetings with our Minister, weekly meetings with other Provincial Sport Organizations (PSO’s) in Alberta, in addition to our meetings with Skate Canada and other Sections concerning the pandemic and our return to play. In Alberta’s relaunch strategy released April 30th all recreation centres and arenas listed as being not permitted to re-open until Stage 3 (and therefore the sports that run their programming in those facilities also fall under Stage 3. Please refer to the attached update for additional information.
The Section’s sport specific recommended guidelines and protocols that are needed to comply with our Provincial and Territorial restrictions are currently in development. We know that our sport is unique to others being primarily an individual, non-contact sport, and as a result has social distancing measures already in place in some areas. We need to be reminded however that without any restrictions lifted on facilities we will still not be able to resume our on-ice activities. We hope to have additional clarity and information to share over the next few weeks with our members that will assist your club or skating school in conversations with your local municipality, and to implement into your planning process so you are prepared to re-open as soon as restrictions are lifted.
Many of you will also have seen today Skate Canada’s announcement that they have “lifted the suspension of Skate Canada activities with limitations”. Please note: Activities are still only permitted if they are allowed in the jurisdiction that they are located in, which means in Alberta off-ice training and activities with social distancing measures in place at permitted open green-spaces and parks (By the Province or Municipality) are now allowed (effective today).
Additional information, online resources
May 11, 2020 Skate Canada Sanction Suspensions lifted https://skatecanada.ca/2020/05/return-to-skating/
Skate Canada FAQ: https://skatecanada.ca/covid-19-response/
Alberta Relaunch Strategy https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-relaunch-strategy.aspx
Sincerely,
Lisa Hardy
Executive Director
Skate Canada: Alberta-NWT/Nunavut
Update: March 12, 2020
All LBFSC programs on and off the ice are cancelled until further notice due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Heather Campbell
President
Lake Bonavista Figure Skating Club
