GOJHL issues 'return to play' guidelines

By C. Scott Holland

With time winding down before the Greater Ontario Jr. Hockey League is set to resume playing —- if granted permission to do so by various health units and the Ontario government — basic spectator guidelines have been issued.

It has been known for some time that the league is capping attendance at 30 per cent of an arena’s capacity.

Each facility will have some type of assigned seating available and where an arena does not have that available, a maximum of 150 spectators are allowed.

That could mean areas being taped or cordoned off. All arenas will implement spectator tracking and not go over the 30 per cent capacity rule. Upon entering, spectators must leave contact info in case any COVID is found among the spectators attending the game. The move is implemented so health officials can monitor any possible cases.

Leamington Flyers forward Jacob Kalandyk turns away from a St. Marys defender during the Flyers final playoff game on Thursday, March 12 at the Highbury Canco Arena. The GOJHL cancelled the playoffs at the conclusion of this game and suspended the 2019-20 season. The Flyers are tentatively set to kick off their 2020-21 regular season on December 4, if all health guidelines fall into place.

In arenas like Leamington’s Nature Fresh Complex, ‘household groups and families’ will sit together and maintain a distance of two metres in front, back and side-to-side. No spectators will be allowed within two metres of the player’s entrance or exit to the ice surface or the dressing rooms.

Spectator visiting, moving around, and congregating is strongly discouraged. All spectators must wear a face mask.

All players, coaches, team officials and spectators are strongly urged to use the Government of Canada proximity app.

Approval must granted by all local public health officials.

If all goes well in the next couple of weeks, the league will be prepared to begin a new and somewhat different season.