KITCHENER — If you want to attend a Kitchener Rangers hockey game or practice this season then be prepared to prove that you are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
The Ontario Hockey League has expanded its current vaccination policy to “members of the OHL community” including fans and others at all games and practices for the upcoming season which, for the Rangers, begins Oct. 8 against the Guelph Storm at the Aud.
Last month, the league released its initial policy which requires all players, coaches, officials, team staff and billet families to be fully vaccinated in order to take part this season. Players that do not comply will be forced to sit out while nonvaccinated staff will be put on unpaid leave.
The latest addition to the plan, released this past Friday, requires all spectators and “other attendees” to the league’s 17-Ontario based franchises to provide proof of vaccination. Children under the age of 12 are exempt but will have to be supervised by a fully vaccinated adult if they want to catch a game or practice.
Anyone attending games will also be required to follow all safety protocols put in place.
It’s unclear at this time how the decision will affect city employees and contract workers such as ushers, concession and box office staff and maintenance crews at the city run facility.
“It’s an active topic of conversation and it’s something that our staff are looking at and will bring recommendations to council in the days ahead and then we’ll be making some decisions in that regard,” said Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic.
“If you look at the announcement by the OHL it talks about ‘others’ but there wasn’t clarity on the others and that’s part of what we’re going to meet to figure out.
“There are 444 municipalities in Ontario and it would be much easier if there was one solution that was mandated by the province in this regard and provided clarity for all of us ... as opposed to everyone having to figure it out on their own.”
The OHL’s decision is more aggressive than what the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs have in place as the professional club requires proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result to watch games or eat at any restaurants at the Scotiabank Arena this season.
The OHL shut down in March of 2020, cancelling its final few games and playoffs and the entire following season because of the pandemic.
The league plans to return this season with its usual 68-game schedule in an expanded campaign stretching from Oct. 7 to April 3. In the past, the regular season schedule has typically wrapped up in mid-March.
In a bid to eliminate travel and hotel stays, most teams will also only play squads in their own conference.
Kitchener’s training camp, which has been open to the public in the past, is set to kick off on Sept. 4.
OHL requiring fans to be fully vaccinated to attend games - TheRecord.com
Read More
No comments:
Post a Comment