PITT MEADOWS, BC – Today, Pitt Meadows will open its sports fields and the BMX track to organized sports groups for summer season rentals with new protocols in place to protect public health.
Groups will be required to follow new practices and procedures to ensure field users take the necessary health and safety precautions. At this time, the focus will be on skill development. No games, scrimmages or contact play will be permitted.
“I would like to thank the community, specifically, our sports groups for being patient as we coordinated the safe reopening of our sports fields,” said Mayor Bill Dingwall. “I know that this is welcome news by everyone who is eager to return to physical activity and practice for the sports that they love.”
Reopening sports fields in Pitt Meadows aligns with the BC Restart Plan. The non-profit organization viaSport, which has led the process for reopening amateur sport across B.C., released Return to Sport Guidelines to help individual sports organizations create transitional plans for the safe return of their sport during COVID-19.
“We recognize that is has been a tough few months, especially for children, and we are excited to be able to get some of our sports groups returning to sport,” says Chief Administrative Office Mark Roberts. “We ask that they ensure they are following the guidelines so we can keep our fields open.”
Field times have been rebooked based on the original field user summer allocation schedule for returning groups with the exception of all special events. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, tournaments and special events will not be held this season.
Groups wishing to book field times are asked to forward their requests to bookings@pittmeadows.ca. Prior to booking a sports field, groups must have a sport-specific COVID-19 Safety Plan that details precautions to be put in place to mitigate the risk of virus exposure or infection.
The City closed sports fields to the public and sports groups in March to help slow the spread of COVID-19, but later reopened them for casual use only. Staff continue to work on plans to safely reopen additional facilities.
Visit pittmeadows.ca/parksandrec for more information.
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For more information please contact:
Carolyn Baldridge
Manager of Communications & Community Engagement
City of Pitt Meadows
cbaldridge@pittmeadows.ca