Recreation and Facilities

NEW COVID-19 Facility Guidelines Wellesley Arena

The Township of Wellesley is pleased to announce the Wellesley Arena will be open for use on September 26, 2020.
This will not be the normal return to the ice season we are all used to. There will be strict guidelines that must be followed to allow our users to enjoy their activities in a safe manner.
The Township of Wellesley will use the following Return to Play procedures;

• All participants will be allowed into the arena 15 minutes prior to their scheduled time. All participants are required to stay in their vehicles and not congregate in front of the arena until this time.
• One parent/guardian/caregiver will be permitted into the facility to accompany one participant. No siblings of participants will be permitted.
• Anyone entering the facility will be required to screen themselves before entering the facility. If you are a part of a registered user group or a parent or guardian of a registered group such as minor hockey, figure skating or a weekly rental, you will be provided with a link on your smart phone for screening. You will be asked by a staff member or a member of the associations to verify you have screened. If you have not screened there will be a table available by asking staff that you will use to screen.
• There will be a maximum of 22 participants permitted on the ice at a time.
• Dressing rooms will be available to a maximum of 10 participants. Face coverings will be required in all areas of the arena including the dressing rooms up until you put your helmet on immediately before you are to enter the ice surface. Dressing room washrooms will not be available, so please ensure all participants are aware of this before coming to the arena.
• Showers will also not be available.
• Participants must still arrive at the arena fully dressed, as the dressing rooms will only be available for putting skates and helmets on. Goaltenders will be given a separate dressing area with adequate room to put their equipment on, but must arrive at minimum with their under gear on. You may be sharing a room with goaltenders from another team.
• Participants will be required to stay in their respective dressing rooms until the ice is ready for them to use. At that time staff will make them aware the ice is ready.
• All participants will exit their dressing rooms through player’s bench side. You will remain in your dressing room until directed to exit by a staff member.
• If using the Board Room to get dressed (goaltenders), you will enter and exit the ice surface on the stands side of the arena.
• Parents or Guardians will be permitted to enter the dressing rooms to tie the skates and put helmets on participants that require assistance. Face coverings must be worn.
• After your ice time you will exit directly to your room. You will remain in that room until you are notified that the next group is securely in their dressing rooms. You will vacate through the exit door at the end of the dressing room hall and not enter the lobby. This will give staff the adequate amount of time to clean and disinfect change rooms between rentals.
• Dressing rooms must be vacated 15 minutes after the rental ends. This will be strictly enforced. Groups that do not adhere to this will face the possibility of the cancellation of the remainder of their ice contracts.
• Parents and guardians will be permitted in the stands. Face coverings will be required at all times in the facility. Sections of the stands will be marked where sitting and standing is permitted. The lobby will NOT be available to parents and guardians to observe. The lobby will remain clear to allow for staff to clean and sanitize the lobby area and the lobby washrooms. Please dress for an arena setting, not for outdoor temperatures. The heaters will not be turned on in the arena until outdoor temperatures reach 0 degrees Celsius. This is to ensure a safe ice surface for the participants on the ice, as the heaters have a direct impact on the ice quality near the boards.
• Lobby washrooms will be available, but only for emergency purposes. Only 1 person at time will be permitted in the washrooms, and it is up to the person entering to wait for the washroom to be vacated before entering.
• There will be a maximum of 50 people permitted in the facility at any time. Not including Township of Wellesley staff.
• There will be adequate staff on duty during all rentals. Staff will ensure that adequate cleaning and sanitizing is done on a regular basis. All dressing rooms will be cleaned and sanitized before any group enter them.
• The front doors of the arena will remain locked at all times and only opened to allow the next group into the arena. The back door may not be propped open and may not be used as an entrance. All emergency exits will remain available in the facility.
• There will be 20 minutes between rentals rather than then normal 10 minutes. This will allow staff extra time to clean and sanitize the facility.