Thunder Bay – News – Outdoor hockey / skating rinks will return hockey nets to City-run outdoor rinks on Wednesday, February 10, 2021.
The decision was made at Council on Monday night.
In a media release the COTB says, “The nets may only be used by individuals to practise shooting. Sports or games (including shinny hockey) may not be practised or played under the current provincial emergency regulations. Skaters must follow Ontario’s rules and restrictions, including physical distancing, to stay safe and to allow the rinks to remain open.
“By-law officers and Parks staff will proactively monitor the skating rinks and ponds, including those designated as unsupervised, for compliance with the rules and restrictions. By-law officers are authorized to issue tickets where appropriate under provincial legislation”.
For the information of the public, the following is the excerpt from Ontario Regulation 82/20 regarding outdoor amenities such as rinks:
An outdoor recreational amenity described in subsection (2) may only open if
any person who enters or uses the amenity maintains a physical distance of at least two metres from any other person who is using the amenity;
team sports are not practised or played within the amenity;
other sports or games that are likely to result in individuals coming within two metres of each other are not practised or played within the amenity; and
any locker rooms, change rooms, showers and clubhouses remain closed, except to the extent they provide access to equipment storage, a washroom or a portion of the amenity that is used to provide first aid.
The City of Thunder Bay states in their media release that “Individuals using the rinks must follow these rules:
- No games allowed, including shinny/scrub hockey
- Sticks and pucks are allowed for individual or family use only
- Maximum 25 people allowed per rink”
A mask or face covering is strongly recommended on outdoor rinks and other park areas as an additional measure during the lockdown extension, especially when physical distancing of two metres is a challenge.
