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Wednesday, July 8, 2020 Vol. 43, No. 28
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Historic Bruce Hockey is back in action Stampede officially cancelled for 2020 Patricia Harcourt Editor
Another much loved summer event has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 107th Bruce Stampede will not be held even though there are broader rules in place by the province allowing for larger gatherings. “Even though AHS has guidelines for rodeos and outdoor events, we would be looking at a massive financial loss,” said Bruce Stampede President Robbie Chomik. “So with that we decided it would be best to saddle up and move on.” Chomik added: “This is one of the hardest things I have had to do in a long time, postpone an event that has bee going on for 107 years.” Other considerations were also factored into the decision, he said. “This community is strong and capable of hosting events anytime, anywhere. But not this year. Putting the health and safety of our community members at risk was not something we took lightly.” The number of persons allowed to attend an outdoor gathering such as a rodeo was set at 100 by Alberta Relaunch Stage 2. However, on June 30 that number was increased from 100 to 200 people allowed for outdoor gatherings. However, the public health measures such as physical distancing remain in place. So seated outdoor events would still require the necessary space between families and cohorts of people within a stadium-style seating arrangement such as exists at the Bruce Stampede grounds. This would mean that ticket sales, and therefore any profits, for the event would be drastically reduced to adhere to the physical distancing rules allowing the stampede to carry on. “We do look forward to the gymkhanas and ABRA approved barrel racing jackpots that will be hosted at the grounds throughout the summer,” said Chomik, who spoke on behalf of himself and the Bruce Stampede Committee. “Stay safe and healthy and see you in 2021.”
Patricia Harcourt Editor
The Viking Carena Complex is now partially open after shutting down due to COVID-19 related restrictions in March. The Town of Viking administrative offices have a separate entrance for the public to access. But the other entrance to the lobby and ice arena is only for parents of those attending summer hockey camps with their kids. The ice rink side of the Carena has been hosting these hockey camps since early July. Only the hockey players, coaches, and parents involved in these camps will be allowed to attend these camps. The province has put a limit on the number of people that can gather indoors. Under its Phase 2 Relaunch strategy, sports teams can play in regiononly cohort groups of up to 50 players or ’mini leagues.’ There are no plans to hold hockey games at this time but the training camps will run through to the end of August. In any case, the province has prohibited tournaments and large events. If participating in a sports activity like hockey training camps at Viking, physical distancing must be maintained when not participating (such as sitting on a bench), and the use of shared locker rooms
should be decreased or eliminated. The Carena janitorial staff have been hard at work since the June 9 relaunch announcement to get the summer hockey camps up and going, said Viking CAO Don McLeod. The camps range from Atom level players to NHL and NCAA players, and the ice is getting close to being solidly booked for July and August. “Moving forward, these are very positive signs for the future of the summer programs,’ states McLeod. There will be a maximum of 20 participants on the ice at any time (17 players and three coaches), states the town website. Each team will have two dressing rooms with a shared bathroom. Only 10 persons are allowed in each dressing room which will be cleaned between uses. “The relaunch strategy is quite vague and I believe we need to set up our own protocols which exceed the government guidelines to ensure everyone’s safety,” he stated at Viking’s June 22 council meeting. While the town office is open, the gym, library, and walking track remain closed at this time. The library can only open if the province goes to Phase 3 of its relaunch as it is not a free standing building but housed in the Carena. Both the library and the Apple Fitness Centre are located on the second floor.