Return to Curl - Covid19
Return to Curling for the 2020-2021 Season
Where great teams and friends meet since 1903. Through curling, we build houses on ice and we help build community. Welcome to our house “Make our house your home”.
The Weyburn Curling Club is a family oriented, community minded facility serving the residents of Weyburn and surrounding area. We are committed to providing enjoyment and affordable curling for all ages, working to develop skills, building self-esteem, promoting sportsmanship, fostering teamwork, connecting families, providing opportunity for competition, and establishing life-long friendships.
Introduction:
Welcome Back, or in the case of new members Welcome! & we look forward to helping you feel at home in our house! We are very pleased to have all staff returning for another season. We are grateful for our staff’s unique abilities, dedication, flexibility and commitment to our members this past season. We are very confident with a mindset towards continuous improvement that we can do even better in 2020. Thanks to the Skjerdal family of Ryan & Patti & kids (Ava & Austin), & Donna for sharing your talents in various areas to manage the club using a “team” approach. Thank you to Glenn for outstanding dedication, ideas, and workmanship in preparing our curling ice and maintaining our plant, equipment and facilities. We are grateful to Peggy and Connie and look forward to the great service and the clean, comfortable, welcoming atmosphere you create in our lounge space.
This 2020 new normal has its challenges, however we know we can meet each obstacle with confidence while increasing our consideration for others. We sincerely hope you have had a chance to rediscover activities which bring joy to you and your household this past off season. I also want to thank the entire curling club board and volunteers who put passion for curling and community into action through helping with our many events. We all want to continuously improve and we welcome your ideas!
Reopening Version 1.0:
We know many of you have questions. Here is a short list and answers we have for you as of today:
Q: Can curling actually achieve social distancing?
A: We believe the sport of curling can achieve this, in Weyburn we have 12,000 square feet of ice with each sheet being its own 2,000 square foot icy pebbled surface for you and your team. Each of the six ice surfaces can accommodate up to 10 people that is physically distant and low-risk. (i.e. 8 curlers/2 coaches). We can maintain distancing with some minor adjustments to positioning. We agree with our sport partner associations, Curling Canada and CurlSask that it is entirely possible for people to continue to curl in a manner that is physically distant and low-risk.
Q: Is the curling format going to be changed? What do we need to know?
A: Yes but slightly, Curling Canada has provided some distancing illustrations for the curling ice portion of your curling experience on their website Return to Play Guidelines under Appendix 5, see Illustration attached https://www.curling.ca/files/2020/07/CC-Manual_Return-to-Play_CAN_EN.pdf . We are continuing with four person curling teams as in past years, and will continue to offer doubles curling as well.
Q: What about distancing on the main floor on the warm side of the curling glass?
A: We are in the process of determining our capacity in this area, and to begin the season we plan on a 7 pm start time for evening draws. There are ways we can enhance distancing by: Staggering our start times, for example 3 sheets could start at one draw time and another 3 will go out 15 minutes later to help avoid cluster points. Specific start times remain to be determined based on the number of teams entered in specific leagues, stay tuned as more information will follow.
Q: Will we need to sign a waiver to curl? What if the curling season was cut short?
A: Yes, all curlers are obligated to sign a Declaration of Compliance as well as a release of Liability, Waiver of Claims and Indemnity Agreement. These documents are mandatory and we will ensure all members have signed them. The board views a portion of each members dues to contribute towards the fixed costs of operating the rink, and the variable cost portion of the dues would be refunded at a pro-rated rate upon a significantly shortened season due to COVID.
Q: What guidelines are there for movement throughout the curling club?
1) We will utilize both doors on the east side of our building, one will be marked for entry the other for exit. We will promote one-way traffic in as many areas as we can to maintain space.
2) Guidelines will be put in place on locker access. If you are uncomfortable in these smaller spaces bring a mask. We would recommend all curlers come dressed for curling to reduce the time required in these smaller areas.
3) Plexi-glass will be added for staff/member safety at various locations.
4) Hand sanitizing dispensers will be added and their use encouraged.
Q: What other details do you have about on – ice changes:
1) The lounge is permitted to its normal maximum occupancy allowing that physical distancing is in place
2) Tables will be configured in a way to allow socializing while maintaining distancing.
3) The lounge will be operated under specific Saskatchewan Licensed Establishment guidelines
Q: What should I do to prepare before arriving at the Weyburn Curling Club
Yours in Curling,
Clare Johnson, President
Weyburn Curling Club
Where great teams and friends meet since 1903. Through curling, we build houses on ice and we help build community. Welcome to our house “Make our house your home”.
The Weyburn Curling Club is a family oriented, community minded facility serving the residents of Weyburn and surrounding area. We are committed to providing enjoyment and affordable curling for all ages, working to develop skills, building self-esteem, promoting sportsmanship, fostering teamwork, connecting families, providing opportunity for competition, and establishing life-long friendships.
Introduction:
Welcome Back, or in the case of new members Welcome! & we look forward to helping you feel at home in our house! We are very pleased to have all staff returning for another season. We are grateful for our staff’s unique abilities, dedication, flexibility and commitment to our members this past season. We are very confident with a mindset towards continuous improvement that we can do even better in 2020. Thanks to the Skjerdal family of Ryan & Patti & kids (Ava & Austin), & Donna for sharing your talents in various areas to manage the club using a “team” approach. Thank you to Glenn for outstanding dedication, ideas, and workmanship in preparing our curling ice and maintaining our plant, equipment and facilities. We are grateful to Peggy and Connie and look forward to the great service and the clean, comfortable, welcoming atmosphere you create in our lounge space.
This 2020 new normal has its challenges, however we know we can meet each obstacle with confidence while increasing our consideration for others. We sincerely hope you have had a chance to rediscover activities which bring joy to you and your household this past off season. I also want to thank the entire curling club board and volunteers who put passion for curling and community into action through helping with our many events. We all want to continuously improve and we welcome your ideas!
Reopening Version 1.0:
We know many of you have questions. Here is a short list and answers we have for you as of today:
Q: Can curling actually achieve social distancing?
A: We believe the sport of curling can achieve this, in Weyburn we have 12,000 square feet of ice with each sheet being its own 2,000 square foot icy pebbled surface for you and your team. Each of the six ice surfaces can accommodate up to 10 people that is physically distant and low-risk. (i.e. 8 curlers/2 coaches). We can maintain distancing with some minor adjustments to positioning. We agree with our sport partner associations, Curling Canada and CurlSask that it is entirely possible for people to continue to curl in a manner that is physically distant and low-risk.
Q: Is the curling format going to be changed? What do we need to know?
A: Yes but slightly, Curling Canada has provided some distancing illustrations for the curling ice portion of your curling experience on their website Return to Play Guidelines under Appendix 5, see Illustration attached https://www.curling.ca/files/2020/07/CC-Manual_Return-to-Play_CAN_EN.pdf . We are continuing with four person curling teams as in past years, and will continue to offer doubles curling as well.
Q: What about distancing on the main floor on the warm side of the curling glass?
A: We are in the process of determining our capacity in this area, and to begin the season we plan on a 7 pm start time for evening draws. There are ways we can enhance distancing by: Staggering our start times, for example 3 sheets could start at one draw time and another 3 will go out 15 minutes later to help avoid cluster points. Specific start times remain to be determined based on the number of teams entered in specific leagues, stay tuned as more information will follow.
Q: Will we need to sign a waiver to curl? What if the curling season was cut short?
A: Yes, all curlers are obligated to sign a Declaration of Compliance as well as a release of Liability, Waiver of Claims and Indemnity Agreement. These documents are mandatory and we will ensure all members have signed them. The board views a portion of each members dues to contribute towards the fixed costs of operating the rink, and the variable cost portion of the dues would be refunded at a pro-rated rate upon a significantly shortened season due to COVID.
Q: What guidelines are there for movement throughout the curling club?
1) We will utilize both doors on the east side of our building, one will be marked for entry the other for exit. We will promote one-way traffic in as many areas as we can to maintain space.
2) Guidelines will be put in place on locker access. If you are uncomfortable in these smaller spaces bring a mask. We would recommend all curlers come dressed for curling to reduce the time required in these smaller areas.
3) Plexi-glass will be added for staff/member safety at various locations.
4) Hand sanitizing dispensers will be added and their use encouraged.
Q: What other details do you have about on – ice changes:
- A curling rock and scoreboard sanitizing routine will be established and performed by curlers prior to game play for rocks and after game play for the scoreboard
- There will be some markings in the ice to assist with traffic flow.
- Thirds can do rock paper scissors for hammer and designate a player to mark up both scores/sanitize numbers post game
1) The lounge is permitted to its normal maximum occupancy allowing that physical distancing is in place
2) Tables will be configured in a way to allow socializing while maintaining distancing.
3) The lounge will be operated under specific Saskatchewan Licensed Establishment guidelines
Q: What should I do to prepare before arriving at the Weyburn Curling Club
- All curlers will have submitted their signed Waiver and Declaration of Compliance form prior to the start of the season.
- If you feel unwell or have COVID related symptoms or have been in contact with someone with a confirmed case of COVID then please sit this one out and stay home
- Roster changes: For contact tracing purposes, if your teams roster deviates from its standard roster at any time (A sub is brought in etc..) then the skip must notify the club contact person of this change of roster for the game.
- Come dressed for curling. Locker access time will be limited due to spacing. wearing a mask is recommended option where distancing cannot be maintained.
- Bring your own water bottles as the water coolers won’t be available on ice.
- Put a smile on your face because you know it will be a fun outing away from home and in the company of good friends, allowing you the opportunity for a little competition, physical fitness, and connection to your community! We thank you for choosing the Weyburn Curling Club and look forward to seeing you in our house!
Yours in Curling,
Clare Johnson, President
Weyburn Curling Club
Weyburn Curling Club
306-842-2236
Box 444
Weyburn, SK S4H 2K3
weyburncurling@gmail.com
306-842-2236
Box 444
Weyburn, SK S4H 2K3
weyburncurling@gmail.com
