Pandemic causes big changes in winter sports across Lamont County
Minor hockey and curling will be much different throughout Lamont County communities this winter as officials grapple with Covid restrictions.
In Lamont, ice is expected to go into the arena by the end of Sept, said town Chief Administrative Officer Christine Beveridge.
She added the town was currently working through the process to determine just what restrictions would be in place when the kids took to the ice.
Bruderheim Chief Administrative Officer, Patty Podoborozny said the ice in the town arena would be in by October.
“We’ve started the cooling down process already,” she said.
Once the ice is in, there will be no concessions and the dressing rooms will be closed.
In addition, the arena will be closed to public viewing, but user groups can have spectators affiliated with them come in to watch play.
She said the town would be hiring a cleaner who will help out keeping the arena clean and sanitized.
“We’re still working out how the dressing rooms might work, but for now they will remain closed.”
In Andrew, ice in the arena won’t go in until the Andrew Figure Skating Club has a meeting this week to determine what their ice requirements will be.
Andrew Agricultural Society member Terry Levicki said they could have ice in by early October if the figure skaters wanted, but they do receive a reduced rate if they wait until November.
He said while there is no minor hockey in the village, there is a men’s adult league which plays about once a week.
“They don’t have that many people coming out to see them… mostly girlfriends, so they will be able to social distance,” said Levicki.
He added there are four dressing rooms so again social distancing could be practised between two teams using all four rooms.
Chris Shandro, president of the Andrew Curling Club said the ice wouldn’t probably go in until November.
“Typically we start putting in ice at the beginning of November and then we start curling later in the month,” he said.
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“Otherwise we’re following the regulations from Alberta Curling and Curling Canada.”
“We’ll still have four person teams, but only one person will be sweeping,” he said. “The person not sweeping will be behind the person delivering the stone.”
Shandro said the Andrew club has 32 people forming eight teams.
“Not everyone shows up all the time,” he said. “But we have enough for eight teams.”
He said he doubts the club will host any bonspiels this year because the club doesn’t have enough room.
In Mundare, Agricultural Society member Peter Polischuk Jr. said ice would be going in for a mid-October opening.
“October 15 is our tentative start date,” he said. “We’re not sure what the start date is with our minor hockey yet.”
He added minor hockey in Mundare had merged with the Vegreville system last year and they had to wait to see what they decided with regard to game and leagues being played in Mundare.
Vegreville Minor Hockey president Tina Warawa said no decisions had been made for Mundare yet.
She stated, “We typically don’t use the Mundare rink until the start of October, but this year we’re bumping that back. In all cases the facilities set their own regulations following Alberta Health Services rules.”
She said they would ask that Mundare follow all the regulations Vegreville Minor Hockey would use, but until they know just how much hockey goes on in Mundare they can say what regulations might be applied.
“The leagues plan to begin sometime after Nov. 15,” she said. “Playing out of the Northern Alberta Interlock, that is the start date rules they’re using and we’re following.”
She said her association had to have its ice allocations submitted to the league by Sept. 30.
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John Mather
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