This is the question on everyone's minds.
We are carefully monitoring the Covid situation in our region and are planning for the prospect that the Province may define Haldimand-Norfolk as a Status RED region sometime during this next hockey session. We recognize that going RED will have implications but our approach is to continue to provide opportunities for our players to remain engaged in sport activities- even under restricted operations. We are aware at this time that Norfolk County plans to pause all arena rentals for a period of 2 weeks to allow user groups to re-evaluate their ice requirements. As such our programs will be modified to meet any imposed restrictions.
We respect that areas may move in/out of restrictions depending on district health/provincial health advice. Our policy during this time is to offer the following options should we move to RED:
1. Withdraw your player and receive a pro-rated refund. This option will not provide for return to play should we move back to orange prior to March 28.
2. Continue to have your player participate in our modified RED program respecting that group sizes will be limited to 10 participants. Every effort will be made to optimize ice times and provide each player with a full value program. NMHA will track the actual cost incurred per player under the modified RED program and issue a player credit should the program value be lesser than the amount paid for the original session (Session 3).
3. If our region progresses to a state of GREY or the Province imposes a regional lockdown, all programming will cease and prorated refunds will be processed for our members who choose that option. Depending when this may happen, as well as the length of time in a lockdown state, we may as an association cancel the remainder of the 2020-2021 season.
We respect that during this period, parents need to balance risk/benefit and that every family will balance these differently. We respect these decisions and thus our policy provides a range of options. Simcoe Minor Hockey is committed to continue to offer opportunities for our members to continue to participate in sport for as long as the Province and PHU allow.