BADMINTON WILL RESTART TUESDAY SEPT. 13

 

The Covid situation in Ontario has at last improved enough for our school board to allow our Club to restart badminton on Tuesday Sept. 13. Play nights and hours will be Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7 to 9:30 p.m. as in pre-covid times. Fees will also be as in pre-covid times, as per the Club’s website which is at http://madocbadminton.blogspot.com/.

The Ontario Government and our school board have removed the mandatory aspects of controlling covid risks. But Covid has not gone completely away and our health system is severely under strain, which will be of concern to some players, especially those in high-risk categories who might feel it necessary to continue with distancing and wearing masks. Please respect their perspectives and related behaviour. As well, for everyone’s sake, please stay at home when you have cold, flu or Covid symptoms.

The mandatory aspects of Covid restrictions are now voluntary, however certain Club procedures will be mandatory as they were in pre-covid times. Our mandatory procedures will also be of value should a player or guardian bring Covid into the Club. As before, players and guardians MUST sign in when they arrive at the Club.  They MUST record up-to-date contact information (telephone and email numbers) if they have not already done so this year. Junior and youth players and their guardians MUST also sign out when they leave the Club -- for safety reasons. Younger junior players MUST wear safety glasses on court -- also for safety reasons.

See you on court, at last!

Ye Executive (Terry, Dave, Mark & Ellen)

RESTARTING BADMINTON SOON AT CENTRE HASTINGS (HOPEFULLY)

Like many people in the rest of the world we would like to get on with life without the severe restrictions that fighting the pandemic has required. 

Our Centre Hastings Badminton Club has been inoperative for almost 2 years now because of the pandemic. It continues to be our intention to resume badminton as soon as our district's School Board says that can happen safely. Even though the pandemic seems to be easing off locally, the Board is not yet able to approve restarting our Club, and will inform us when a go-ahead is possible. 

We sorely miss playing the game. Playing badminton regularly is an important way to achieve and maintain good mental and physical health. 

If you can't wait for our club to reopen, email bbcbelleville@gmail.com to see if the Belleville Badminton Club can accommodate new players in its 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. Thursday time-slot at Quinte Christian High School on Wallbridge Loyalist Parkway. That school's school board recently allowed BBC to restart badminton.

See you on court soon (hopefully).

Terry Mandzy, Pres.

Impact of Pandemic on Badminton Restart

HPEDSB schools are planning to resume classes in early September, but the schools will not issue external community permits until November at the earliest. 

 Although our club can’t restart badminton for the next two months at least, the Belleville Badminton Club plans to restart at its Quinte Christian High School location (138 Wallbridge Loyalist Rd.) on September 8th. (Quinte Christian is not governed by the HPEDSB.) Play at BBC will be limited to 50 full members. Non-member guests will not be allowed for now. 

Not restarting now is a good thing for us because HPEDSB school and Belleville Club protocols will have a lengthy test period to confirm how practical and safe they are in protecting people. We hope their protocols prove effective so that we can be sure that our club’s operating protocol, when developed, will be practical and effective in protecting our players. We have to be especially careful because many of our players are seniors in the high-risk category due to age and, for some, due to underlying health issues. 

If any significant developments occur in September and October, we will let you know. In the meantime, continue to keep safe and in touch with friends and family. 

Best regards, The Executive

Update re impact of Pandemic on Badminton

The school will definitely be closed to the end of May, and probably for an undetermined period afterward. Let us hope that vaccines are developed to protect us before September rolls around so that a new season of badminton can be restarted safely in the coming school year.

In the meantime, try to keep safe and in touch with friends and family. I wish you success in coping with the realities and challenges the pandemic has introduced to your situation in life.

See you on court ... eventually!

Best regards,

Terry

Cancellations due to covid-19

You may already know that Ontario has closed all publicly funded schools until April 5th because of Covid-19 concerns. That means our club will be closed too until the school reopens. Belleville's club will also be closed, so playing at the Quinte Christian school is no longer an option.

I'll eventually update you about whether or not the school and club badminton will restart after April 5th.

Take care,

Terry