Kincardine arena to open Oct. 5; pool re-opens Oct. 13

The Davidson Centre in Kincardine is gradually re-opening, after it was closed in March due to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic.

At Kincardine council's committee-of-the-whole meeting Monday night (Sept. 21), recreation director Karen Kieffer outlined the proposed Phase 1 re-opening of a number of facilities, including the ice surface, the pool, and the health club, as well as the extra costs for additional staff.

She said procedures have been developed for ice-users, including entering the facility no more than 15 minutes prior to rental time; exiting the facility no more than 15 minutes after leaving the ice surface; spectators limited to one per participant; and arriving fully dressed to play (except skates, gloves and helmet).

“Based on feedback from our regular ice users, staff anticipates that there may be a small reduction of ice-time use within our adult recreational teams due to delayed or cancelled seasons,” she said. “However, our main user groups have expressed interest in a similar amount of ice time.”

This includes Kincardine Minor Hockey, the Kincardine Skating Club and the Kincardine Bulldogs who already have their own set of back-to-play protocols and guidelines.

Available ice times will be open for rentals in Phase 2, said Kieffer, with recreation programs, such as public skating and shinny, opening in Phase 3.

“The side of the arena being used for putting on skates for the ice-users will alternate between rentals to allow for cleaning and disinfecting by municipal staff,” said Kieffer, “and based on this, we are not anticipating any additional staff wages or resources being required for the cleaning and disinfecting of these areas for this service to resume. Staff is working with user groups and is optimistic that we can re-open the arena for Oct. 5.”

The Tiverton Sports Centre would re-open Nov. 7, following the same phased-in approach, said Kieffer.

DAVIDSON CENTRE POOL

The pool is re-opening its programming in four phases, said Kieffer.

Phase 1 was in August, when the pool was open to staff only for training purposes. Phase 2 will be for lane swims, aquafit, and private lessons. Phase 3 will be for recreational swims, group lessons and bronze programs. And Phase 4 will be for drop-in swims, and all group lessons.

The proposed hours of operation, are from Monday to Thursday, 7 a.m. to 8:45 p.m.; Friday, from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Saturday, from 7-11 a.m.; and closed on Sunday.

“Programs will have a reduced bather load to allow for social-distancing measures,” said Kieffer.

Lane swims will allow for one swimmer per lane unless they are from the same household and want to share a lane, and there are six lanes. Aquafit will be able to accommodate 15 participants per class. Private lessons will run with one swimmer with one instructor, using one lane. Six lanes will be available to maintain physical-distancing. Semi-private lessons can run if the participants are in the same family.

Fees for these swim programs will remain as listed in the current rates and fees bylaw, with the exception of lane/public swims. Staff is recommending that a flat fee of $5 be charged for these swims for the remainder of 2020.

Kieffer said the recommendation is to re-open the pool Oct. 13 for Phase 2, with a pool attendant at a cost of $5,500. Projected pool revenue is $19,800 based on all time slots being booked.

DAVIDSON CENTRE HEALTH CLUB

The health club is slated to open Oct. 1, with updated cleaning protocols, said Kieffer. “Cleaning will be done at least three times daily, and will include floors, washrooms, weights, benches and any other high-touch surfaces. Staff will hand out personal disinfectant sprays and every user will be required to disinfect his/her own weights and machines after use.”

Half of the cardio machines will operate daily, with a maximum of 10 people allowed in the gym at any one time. Customers will be required to reserve their work-out time on-line and pay for each session at the time of reserving their slot.

The current rates and fees bylaw references monthly and yearly health club membership fees and these include the use of the pool and are for an unlimited number of visits, said Kieffer. “Memberships will not work at this time due to the change in what we are able to provide, so staff is proposing a drop-in fee of $8 for a 60-minute session and $10 for a 75-minute session.”

Hours will be Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

As part of the re-opening of the health club, a health club attendant position will be required to monitor the daily operations of the facility, ensure that all disinfecting and cleaning protocols are being adhered to, as well as to clean the common areas including the high-touched surfaces.

Staff is recommending that the existing pool attendants be utilized to fill these positions, said Kieffer, and that the health club re-open Oct. 1. The extra health club attendant's wages would be $17,000. Projected health club revenue would be $43,680 (based on all time slots being booked).

DAVIDSON CENTRE CUSTOMER SERVICE STATION

And finally, Kieffer recommended that a customer service station be set up to provide health-screening, check-in/reservation, and general customer service needs, in the main lobby at the Davidson Centre.

“Customer service staff will ensure patrons pass the screening test and provide them with a bracelet that indicates they have successfully passed the screening, as well as verify program reservations, ensure patrons are informed of signage, any additional COVID-19 modifications, planned program entrance and exits, direct them to their program footpath, print class list reports, answer phone calls and act as the facility check-in point,” said Kieffer.

Customer service staff will be scheduled for when municipal programs and rentals are occupying the building, she said. “It should also be noted that we have obtained a waiver from our solicitor that must be signed by all participants prior to their participation in our programs.”

Kieffer said three to four customer service representatives are required to fill the necessary hours which will be based on the phased-in re-opening of the Davidson Centre. Cost for this extra staff is about $22,000, she said.

In the report, the treasurer noted that the municipality will be receiving $376,500 in grant funding to cover COVID-19 operating costs and pressures which should off-set the extra costs of staffing the Davidson Centre.

“I thank Karen (Kieffer) and her staff at the arena for working so hard to get it re-opened,” said councillor Doug Kennedy. “And that customer service desk at the Davidson Centre is long overdue. I support this.”

Committee-of-the-whole approved all the recommendations in this report. And that was later endorsed by council.