Update – May 25, 2020
Message from the President
Hi Everyone,
I hope everyone is well an able to stay safe. We are still not sure what we will be doing for next season yet; will we be able to open , will there be restrictions on gatherings before and after games, will we need to change the number of players on the ice at the same time? We will continue to monitor what the government prescribes and are also relying on the advice of CurlOn. Jim and Paula have been taking advantage of any assistance programs for which we qualify to keep the club healthy financially.
With this uncertainty in mind, planning is difficult. We have decided to proceed with invoicing because of the amount of effort this takes and since we will need to complete this before opening. Any fees paid will be refunded in full or pro-rated, depending on what happens.
Thank-you very much to all the people who volunteered to help members that were in need of assistance. The good news is that we have not had any requests, so people are weathering the situation. Tammy Holland did make masks for several members but the offer stays open, if you need a mask please reach out.
A special thanks to Cindy who has been calling members to check-in and make sure they are OK. The offer remains open, so if your situation has changed and you need assistance, please let us know at covidhelp@burlcurl.com .
The Board of Directors have decided to freeze both Membership Fees and Bar prices for next year. We will continue to monitor the situation and will only open if we are confident it is safe to do so. Stay safe everyone.
Andre (On behalf of the board.)
Thanks,
Andre King, BCC President
Please let the Office know of any changes for next season
The board has decided to proceed with the billing of membership fees this summer even though we are not positive we can or should open. This is a huge job for Paula our office manager so if you know you will not be curling or are changing the leagues you are playing in please email Paula to let her know.
It can save her hours and hours of work if everyone lets her know of any changes ahead of time.
We realize we do not have a clear picture of what the situation will look like in October and we may not even be able to open but if you know you are not curling or are changing a league please reach out now. If your situation changes between now and October please just let Paula know.
paulabrownbcc@gmail.com
Exploring Options for Next Season
If we do proceed with curling in October it may look very different. At this time we do not know what the virus situation will look like. If we do have to maintain social distancing both the type of game and the off ice experience will have to change. Curl Canada and Curl Ontario are collecting ideas and testing ways that might allow social distancing and they are arranging suppliers that will allow us to open with all the safety and cleaning supplies needed.
Curling Clubs have been discussing options that might help and are sharing ideas trying to find safe ways to curl.
Icemakers have been discussing safe ice maintenance procedures through online forums as well.
I personally think it is a 50/50 proposition that we will be able to open next fall unless there are some drastic reductions in the virus spreading. A great deal can change over the next 4 months so I am hopeful.
Here are some possible changes;
Games can be played with teams split into 2, with 2 players per team at each end. You would throw 4 rocks instead of 2 when playing from your end and sweepers will not be allowed to cross the far hog line. One thrower and one sweeper per end. Once the rock crosses the far hogline one teammate from the other end can sweep it the rest of the way. After the end the other 2 teammates would throw their 4 rocks back in another 2 on 2 game.
Last year some 2 person games where played at our club. That might be come an option next season, 2 man teams, one player at each end who throws all his teams rocks. You cannot sweep between the hog lines. The rock is swept by your teammate after the rock crossed the far hog line. Games would be limited to 1 hour and we found it was easy to get 6 ends done in that time.
Staggered start times are likely. For instance 2 sheets of games could start at the top of the hour and 3 sheets could start at the bottom of the hour to spread out the crowding in the locker and lounge areas. The schedule would be spread out with longer times between games to allow for extra cleaning.
If we do have bar service, the round tables would have dividers installed so each seat has its own enclosed area with plastic dividers. At least 1/2 the tables and chairs around the club will be removed to allow distancing. All glassware would be plastic and disposable and each person will have to throw away their own garbage. Kitchen service would also be limited and designed to limit exposure to the staff.
We would have protective shields installed at the bar and kitchen. The now normal 6 ft lines on floors, locker rooms and even in the ice shed will have to be installed everywhere.
We would ask you to arrive no earlier than 15 minutes before game time.
Masks would be mandatory at all times.
You will have to clean/disinfect your rocks before every game. Or game times will have to be spread out to allow staff the time to clean between games.
The bar and ice staff would become full time cleaners while at the club. Wiping surfaces and disinfecting continually when not working on the ice or behind the bar.
Water dispensers will be removed.
Locker room and bathroom doors would remain open as much as possible to limit contact points.
Shared lockers will be an issue so some of you will have to take your equipment home after each game.
As you can see from even the small list above curling will look very different next year if we do open. Hopefully with an early vaccine and its wide spread use we can return to normal by the end of next season.
Curling takes place in a cool moist environment in which viruses can thrive and we do have an older demographic which as we know is particularly vulnerable. We fully understand and expect a significant portion of our membership will not be curling next year even if we do open. It is going to be a very fluid situation and with no crystal balls we cannot know how it will all look by October.
We are invoicing people this summer with the hope that we can open safely. But if we cannot open or have to close after a partial season we will do a prorated refund.
I am confident the Board of Directors will continue assessing the situation and will simply not allow curling to continue if they feel we cannot operate safely and we will close until it is safe to curl again.
Welcome to Our Club
The Burlington Curling Club is one of the finest curling clubs in Ontario with five sheets of quality curling ice, first-rate food and beverage service, and a friendly atmosphere that fosters the love of the game on and off the ice.
If you are interested in membership information, please go to the “Club” dropdown box and click on “Membership” to access information on the Burlington Curling Club Leagues, 2019-20 membership rates, and our $99.00 introductory special.
We also offer an introductory Learn to Curl league for people new to our sport. See details below.
If you are interested in joining the BCC, please go to the “Club” drop-down box, then to “Membership Form”. Fill out the form and submit it. There is no cost to do so. You will be contacted within a few days confirming the receipt of your application. Many of the BCC sections have short waiting lists so it is important to apply early.
You can contact the Club Manager, Jim Holland anytime at 905-634-0014 or jwhbcc@gmail
