To Our Wolves Families:
Waterloo Minor Hockey continues to follow the advice provided to
us by the Waterloo Region Public Health Unit, our partners at the City of
Waterloo and our governing bodies (ALLIANCE Hockey and the OHF).
As of
the time this posting, WMHA has not received any specific communication from
any of these to cease or modify hockey operations at this time.
However, the public health situation has been evolving rapidly over the past
number of days and we are asking members to be prepared for possible
changes.
Please continue to monitor the website regularly.
The return to hockey has been a huge boost to the mental, social, and physical health and well-being of our players. In these uncertain times, it is our (WMHA, parents, coaches, volunteers) collective responsibility to our children to do everything we can to keep them on the ice, engaged and enjoying the game they love!
In the last 30 minutes, we have received the following communication from the City of Waterloo. Please read the updated information provided and continue to follow the policies/guidelines outlined.
We thank you for your diligence and hope you and your Family are and continue to be safe and well.
WMHA Executive
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From the City of Waterloo:
Sport groups are asked to assist in slowing the spread
The City of Waterloo thanks all the sport groups for doing their parts to offer sport programming in a responsible and safe manner. Thank you for wearing your masks, keeping socially distant, practicing good hygiene and getting vaccinated.
Cooperation by all our sport rental groups and their members is critical to slowing the spread of the virus within the sport community. We ask that sport groups continue to remain diligent in all their safety practices and consider the following to help reduce the spread of the virus during this extra precarious time.
While we recognize many groups are already doing these already, we ask that from December 16, 2021 - January 13 2022, we ask sport groups to do the following and communicate with their members to do the same:
- Reduce the number of spectators per player at practices and games
- Come to practice and/or games as dressed as much as possible and ready to play
- Keep safe dressing room protocols – minimize time spent in dressing rooms, wear masks, keep distanced
- Remind all participants of the requirement to wear masks at all times including coaching staff, volunteers, parents, and athletes while not on the playing surface or bench
- Keep distanced where possible
- Food service provision will cease effective December 24, 2021, until approximately January 28, 2022. Concessions that were open on weekends will no longer be available. Vending machines will also not be available.
- Customers are to be mindful when bringing in food and beverages and to mask after consuming within the recreation facilities. These measures are in place to encourage mask wearing while in the recreation facilities.
- Limit bringing food or beverages into the recreation facilities unless absolutely necessary
- Eliminate indoor team social activity
- Ensure participants, volunteers, parents/spectators are performing health screening and contact tracing either in advance or upon arrival and showing proof of vaccination and ID
- Consider cancelling hosting tournaments with out of town teams
We’re all in this together and we need sport groups and their members to all do their part to ensure sports and facilities remain open.
Regulations are subject to change based on further direction and/or guidance from the Province and Regional governments. Program participants are reminded to Check Before you Rec for health screening and applicable program information.
We will continue to monitor provincial regulations and announcements, and are working closely with the Region of Waterloo Public Health Unit to interpret regulations and guidelines as they are released or amended.