QUINTE WEST – Batawa’s outdoor skating rinks remain open and popular, with residents from all over the surrounding communities using them as a safe way to get outside during the COVID-19 lockdown.
“When we found out this was open, the four of us were quite happy because three of us live in separate houses,” Sue Joly, one of the skaters at the Batawa rink on Wednesday, said. “And it’s nice that we can get together at a distance, and do something together that is still safe. And that’s what’s important.”
Batawa has four rinks that are designated for either skating or hockey. Another skater said she appreciates being able to come out and skate at her level.
“It was nice that they have a hockey area, so for a novice like myself, I’m not in anyone’s way,” Sue McClure said.
While another big outdoor activity in Batawa, the ski hill, remains closed due to the lockdown, the skating rinks were allowed to stay open.
“It’s a basic provincial guideline. I don’t know the logic as to why they chose one over the other, but that’s just what they mandated,” Jeff Moorhouse, the chair of the Batawa skating rink committee, said.
While the rinks were closed briefly during the beginning of the lockdown, they were able to reopen with new COVID-19 safety precautions.
“After public feedback of wanting the rinks to open back up,” Moorhouse said, “we were able to work with the city and figure out a plan that the health department and the city and everyone was quite happy with, that met COVID protocols and still created a safe place for people to enjoy outdoor activity.”
These new precautions include a maximum of 20 skaters per rink, mandatory face masks, reduced hours of 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Quinte West staff monitoring the rinks during the day.
Moorhouse said that these protocols have not stopped people from getting out on the ice, with there being an average of 20 to 30 people on the four rinks at any given time.
However, the number of skaters is definitely lower than last year, he said.
“This year is different. Last year on a nice Saturday or Sunday, we would have 150 people at any given time on the rinks throughout the entire Saturday or Sunday. This year, just because of protocol, the numbers are a little lower because we have to restrict people on it.”
But this hasn’t stopped people from getting out and getting active at the community skating rink.
“I have three little kids and we go there every Saturday in the morning,” Moorhouse said. “And it’s an hour of the kids actually being kids again. They are able to still play and have fun, which does not happen very much right now.”
With people struggling to find safe activities outside of their homes, skaters seem to be appreciating the outlet.
Joly said: “I give people a lot of credit here for having this many rinks since it gives a lot of people the opportunity to come here and have something to do, for families and single people.”
Moorhouse said it gives people a chance to feel normal again.
“It offers a great, safe outlet and ability to enjoy the outdoors, especially in a year when so many of our usual activities have been cancelled or postponed due to the pandemic. It’s one area that we can still get out and enjoy and be somewhat normal for a little while.”
Print This Post
