Covid 19 and the Health & Safety of our Members and Staff

Dear Members,

With the recent spread of the COVID-19 virus and the heightened awareness and changes in services throughout the lower mainland, we want to assure you that we are committed to keeping our members and staff safe within these ever-evolving circumstances. At this time, relying on the information provided by the BC Public Health Officer and all other official declarations, the Board of Directors have decided to keep the NSWC OPEN to our membership at this time, with the stringent safety measures outlined below.  That said, please respect that this is a highly fluid situation and the Board and Management will continue to monitor this situation carefully and make any necessary adjustments as required.

The safety and health of our NSWC community is our top priority.  In that regard, we are implementing new requirements for our members and staff that will be in force until further notice.

New measures for all Members & Staff

Effective immediately, we will no longer permit guests to access or use our facilities. In addition ea ch time a member or staff enters the Club, you will be required to complete the following:

• Members or staff who are returning from anywhere outside of Canada are required to stay away from the Club for 14 days upon arrival back in Canada.
• A Self Declaration form and waiver signed prior to each entry.
• A non-invasive temperature check (forehead) will be administered prior to entry. Any person with a fever or who refuses to have their temperature taken will not be permitted access to the Club. 
• Members or staff who have been in close contact with someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 are required to stay away from the Club for 14 days after their last encounter.
• If you are feeling ill, you are requested to stay away from the Club until no symptoms are present.

Food & Beverage

In accordance with recommendations of the public health officer, we have determined the following steps will be taken;

• We are postponing all Minor Hockey Banquets at this time.  It is our hope that these will be rescheduled in the future.
• Senior Men’s hockey will continue as scheduled however the Senior Men’s Hockey Banquet is cancelled, but all players are still welcome to come and watch the final games on April 25^th. Full lounge services will be open.
• Other large group events scheduled up until April 30 are cancelled or will be rescheduled to a later date. Staff will be in contact with those bookings that are impacted.

It is our goal to provide safe spaces for all of our members.  As such, only adults over 19 years of age will be permitted in the upstairs lounge until further notice.  Kids continue to be welcome in the cafeteria. 

Programs

We will offer programs for members only and please note that all programs have minimum registration requirements.  This includes:

• Spring Break & Spring programs (Tennis, hockey, youth)
• Private Lessons
• Personal Training
• Fitness Classes
• Open hockey will continue to be available for Members only

Regarding Spring Hockey and 3 on 3 hockey, and knowing that other rinks have recently suspended operations, we will be reaching out to all invested parties to discuss options. An update will be provided ASAP.   

Hours of Operation

Please note that we will strive to maintain our regular hours of operation at all times, however, it is possible that due to circumstances beyond our control that some programs and/or services may be limited due to staff availability during this public health crisis.

What you can do to help?

• Frequent hand washing, hand sanitizing, and covering your mouth when coughing/sneezing.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
• If you feel sick, please stay home and avoid all public spaces, including the Club, for the duration of your illness.
• Older adults and people who have chronic medical conditions should take the necessary. precautions to avoid exposure to others.
• Be sure to wipe down fitness equipment, mats, etc. with disinfectant or sanitizer wipes.
• Avoid close contact with individuals who are ill.
• Stay informed via the World Health Organization (WHO) & Vancouver Coastal Health.
• Social distancing ie. Not shaking hands or hugging at the end of a match or sharing food/drinks is a good practice during an outbreak.

We will continue to monitor the progression of the virus and will follow any and all recommendations of the authorities.

For more information on recent announcements from Dr. Bonnie Henry, our Provincial Health Officer, please visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2020HLTH0077-000484

For recommendations on protecting yourself and our community, please visit:
http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19

For more information and the latest updates on COVID-19, please follow the BC Centre for Disease Control and visit:  http://www.bccdc.ca

We are committed to keeping our members healthy and will continue to monitor this evolving situation. We will send out further updates as needed.

Lastly, we wish to remind each of our members that you have the choice to visit the Club or not. For all programs and lessons going forward, we will waive any and all cancellation fees that may have been booked prior to this crisis.  At all times, your safety, and the well-being of our staff, is our top priority.

Thank you for your cooperation regarding this matter.

James Cronk, NSWC Club President                                                         

Joanna Hayes, General Manager