YMCAS aren’t ready to reopen Friday
Despite being eligible to reopen as part of Stage 2 of Alberta’s relaunch, YMCA Calgary said it isn’t ready to reopen its recreation and sports facilities across the city.
“The safety and well-being of everyone in our community — especially our most vulnerable neighbours — remains our top priority,” YMCA Calgary said in a news release. “We are in the process of putting protocols in place to ensure that once our buildings open, our participants feel informed and safe to return.”
YMCA Calgary said it will take a number of precautions, including changes to the physical spaces around facilities, and new procedures for staff, volunteers and participants.
YMCA Calgary will release dates on its website when it is ready to reopen its facilities across the city.
Calgary Public Libraries won’t reopen
Libraries across the city won’t fully reopen when Stage 2 of Alberta’s relaunch begins Friday.
The Calgary Public Library said in a notice posted on its website that locations and book returns around the city will remain closed while it finalizes plans “that will ensure the health and safety of our visitors, staff and volunteers.”
Instead, the library will first reopen three locations — Forest Lawn, Crowfoot and Fish Creek — in a pilot starting June 23.
The locations will have “metered access,” limited hours and additional public health protocols, “including limited capacity, hand sanitizing stations and physical distancing.”
While library locations remain closed, library members can still access holds through the library’s Curbside Holds Service, which allows for contactless pickup at most locations.
SAIT donates 3-D printed face shields
SAIT will donate its first batch of 3-D printed face shields, the technical school said in a news release.
The 400 face shields created in SAIT’S mechanical engineering technology lab will be given to Helping Alberta, a volunteer organization sourcing personal protective equipment for Alberta’s front-line health-care workers.
“As the city starts to reopen, it is even more critical to have equipment like this ready and available for those who need it — we want to continue to be proactive and help in any way we can,” said Jim Szautner, the dean of SAIT’S school of manufacturing and automation and school of transportation.
The goal is for the technology lab to eventually 3-D print 1,000 face shields.
Winsport to offer minigolf, bike camps
Winsport will offer minigolf, summer bike camps and indoor and outdoor weddings and events when Stage 2 of Alberta’s relaunch takes effect, the organization said in a news release Wednesday.
Winsport will open an 18-hole minigolf course on Saturday, which will be open Saturdays and Sundays throughout the summer. Equipment and high touch points will be cleaned and sanitized regularly, Winsport said. Only members of the same household are permitted to golf at the same time.
While other summer camps were cancelled, Winsport will offer summer bike camps from July 6 to Aug. 29 for kids aged six to 11 and kids aged 10 to 16.
Winsport also said it will offer its outdoor festival tent and indoor multi-purpose room for weddings and events.
SAIT classes to be mostly online in fall
SAIT will deliver the “majority” of fall classes online, vice-president of academic Dr. Brad Donaldson said in a letter posted to SAIT’S Twitter account on Wednesday.
“The health and safety of our SAIT community remains our top priority, and the decision was made in consideration of health restrictions and guidelines,” Donaldson wrote.
SAIT is looking at how to deliver on-campus labs and hands-on courses safely, the letter said, and that it would work closely with apprenticeship and industry training “to determine how to continue this very hands-on training,” he wrote.
Details for each program are being finalized.more information can be found at sait.ca/covid19.
Calgary Minor Soccer OKS on-field training
The Calgary Minor Soccer Association is ready to get back on the field, announcing that clubs can begin on-field training when Stage 2 of Alberta’s relaunch commences on Friday.
“Throughout the pandemic we’ve had four key governing bodies that have dictated our plans: Government of Alberta, City of Calgary, Canada Soccer and Alberta Soccer. To finally have alignment and the green light to get back on the field from all parties, everyone in the soccer community is ecstatic,” CMSA executive director Susan Cress said in a news release.
“CMSA was prepared for a non-traditional season and ready with a quick start strategy. We see that looking like small cup competitions that will take place later in the summer.”
Canada Soccer suspended all in-person soccer activities March 13 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Alberta Soccer Association announced a decision to end the suspension June 5, and plans to start with cohorts of 50 people for competition that could begin as soon as June 19.
More info is available at calgaryminorsoccer.com.
Compiled by Jon Roe, Postmedia News