Documentation
PDMHA Return to Hockey Plan - updated Oct. 21 2021, Oct.25 2021
Summary of Protocols for Plattsville:
PDMHA will educate all of its members of COVID-19 policies from the Provincial Government, Southwest Public Health (SWPH), Township of Blandford Blenheim, OHF, and OMHA. These rules will be posted on our website for all users to view and will be emailed out to each member.
PDMHA will keep track of all members who enter Plattsville Arena during each ice rental, including date, time, and name. Contact information will also be collected from any individual other than registered players and their parents (such as if an aunt brings a player).
Capacity limits within the building have been lifted; however, contact tracing and confirmation of vaccination status must still take place upon entering, and thus the front entrance will be monitored. Doors will open 30 minutes before the scheduled ice time, and will be locked once the ice time has begun. For example, if the team's ice time is 6:00-6:50pm, the doors will be unlocked at 5:30pm and will be locked again at 6:00pm; the doors will not be unlocked again until 6:30pm for the next group; anyone leaving the building and then re-entering later should expect to go through the screening process again. Please ensure any guests you have coming to watch are aware of the time frame during which they can enter the building.
Any spectator 12 years of age or older must show proof of being fully vaccinated to enter the facility (doses completed at least 14 days ago). Go to the Government of Ontario website to download your "enhanced vaccine certificate" QR code.
Anyone requesting an exemption to the vaccination requirement, must submit documentation at least 24 hours prior to coming to the arena; documentation will be reviewed by facility management and/or Southwestern Public Health, and must be approved before being permitted within the arena.
If parents have other children with them that are not participating in on-ice activities, the parent is responsible for the conduct of that child(ren). Children must be supervised at all times, without exception. Parents not supervising their children will be asked to leave the facility with their children, and without warning.
The contact tracing records will be kept at the PDMHA office at the arena and will be available if SWPH or any other health board requests them. PDMHA will also supply Plattsville Arena with a master list of parent contact info for each player to have on file.
PDMHA will also post an online form for a user to fill out if they contract COVID-19. If any member reports COVID-19, the Arena Manager, Township, and Southwest Public Health will be notified.
All parents, players, coaches and spectators will be asked to self-assess before coming to the arena, using the 
OHF-health-screening-questionnaire provided. They will also be asked to verbally confirm they have self-assessed, answering no to all questions, when entering the facility. Anyone exhibiting any COVID-19 related symptoms will be required to stay home, until they are symptom free for 24 hours or until they have provided a current negative COVID-19 test result.
Before any league play takes place, involving members of a neighbouring minor hockey association within Southwest Public Health, PDMHA will review this plan and resubmit for approval at that time.
Assign someone to monitor updates:
- Trevor Braunig (Association President) and Tina Balfour (Administrative Manager)
Meet with your facility:
- PDMHA has met with Plattsville Arena facility management to discuss health safety protocols and physical distancing measures to be put in place during all ice rental time
- Once approved by OMHA, facility management will be provided with a copy of this Return to Hockey plan, and informed of any updates to the plan and/or OHF policies
- If/when “league” play is permitted with other OMHA hockey associations within Southwest Public Health, this plan will be reviewed with such centres and approval from facility management requested
Arrival at facility organized to meet guidelines:
- Access to Plattsville Arena will only be through the main front doors
- Participants are asked to arrive at the arena no more than 30 minutes before, and no later than
10 minutes before the start of their scheduled ice time; doors will be locked outside of that interval
- For example: for a 6pm ice time, players must arrive between 5:30pm and
5:50pm 6:00pm
- Everyone entering the facility will need to sign in for contact tracing
- Each team will select one or two parents to be responsible for completing the contact tracing record for each of their ice times
- Each player and accompanying parent will have their name recorded; if an adult other than a parent whose contact information is already on file accompanies a player, their name and contact information will be recorded on the sign in sheet
- Each individual entering the facility must be on the PDMHA list of verified vaccination status; any individual not already on the list must be ready to show verification of vaccination status (or a doctor's note stating a medical exemption), along with photo ID
- Each individual entering the facility will be asked to confirm that they have self-assessed and answered no to each of the questions on the OHF Health Screening Questionnaire
- The OHF Contact Tracing sheets will be available at the front door (on the PDMHA wicket desk) for each team; they must be deposited in the PDMHA office mail slot at the end of each ice session
- Players must proceed directly to their assigned changeroom; for younger players, one parent/adult may accompany the player to the changeroom
- Parents/spectators are to wait in the designated "waiting area" of the lobby until the spectator stands are ready (a red light outside the entrance to the stands will be turned off once the stands are ready)
Hygiene requirements:
- A mask / face covering must be worn by all individuals inside the arena at all times; the only exception is for players and coaches when they are on the ice surface and when they are moving to and from the ice surface
- Hand sanitizer will be made available by the facility, located at both the entrance and exit
- Players must bring their own water bottles, filled at home
- PDMHA will supply disinfecting wipes at front sign-in table, masks & gloves for each team trainer’s kit, and disinfecting spray for use on any shared goalie equipment for the younger divisions
- Arena staff will disinfect the player benches at the end of each ice session, on their way to the Zamboni room; will disinfect the spectator stands after they have flooded the ice; and will clean/disinfect the changerooms between each group
Physical distancing in the facility:
- PDMHA will request each team to designate one parent (or two parents to share the responsibility) to be present at the front door at each session to:
- control entry;
- ensure mask / face coverings are being worn;
- complete health screening questionnaire and complete the contact tracing info; and
- to direct parents and players where to go
- PDMHA executive members will take on this role until such team parents can be designated
- The spectator stands will have designated seating to ensure physical distancing.
- Players will go directly to their assigned dressing room. For the younger players (10 years of age and under), the parent/adult may accompany their child to assist with dressing and skate tying.
- Parents will proceed to the to the spectator stands if no previous user group is present; otherwise, they will remain in the "home waiting area" in the lobby until the previous group has vacated the stands and the stands have been cleaned. There will be a red indicator light above the doors leading to the stands; once the light turns off, parents will move from the lobby waiting area to the stands. Parents must remain in the stands for the duration of the ice session.
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If parents have other children with them that are not participating in on-ice activities, the parent is responsible for the conduct of that child(ren). Children must be supervised at all times, without exception. Parents not supervising their children will be asked to leave the facility with their children, and without warning.
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Spectators must ensure that they are physically distanced by a minimum of 2m in the stands. Spectators must take any garbage with them and dispose of in the appropriate containers.
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All spectators must exit the stands between rentals. If a spectator is staying for the second rental, the spectator must leave the facility and re-enter through the main door.
- At the end of the session, parents are to exit the arena using the West doors; they can then wait outside, meeting the players at the East doors of the building. For the younger divisions (10 years of age and younger), one parent can proceed to the assigned changeroom and exit through the East doors with their child.
- Physical distancing must be maintained at all times while inside the arena; PDMHA will be responsible for ensuring its members follow the plan.
Guidelines around dressing rooms and showers:
- A maximum of 15 players per room will be permitted by the facility; designated spots to be used to ensure physical distancing while using the changeroom
- For younger players, if necessary one parent/player will be allowed to accompany their child to the changeroom to assist with dressing & skate tying
- When two teams are sharing an ice time, each team will be assigned their own room
- All players and coaching staff must wear a mask until they head to the ice; they will wait in the change room until the buzzer sounds, before proceeding to the ice
- If two rooms are being used, the team using Room 1, 2, or 3 will go out first and go to the visitor end of the ice; the team using Room 4, 5, or 6 will then follow and use the home bench end of the ice
- Showers will be available for use
- All garbage must be placed in the garbage can located in the centre of the room, so that facility staff can efficiently clean & disinfect the room before the arrival of the next group
Physical distancing during on-ice sessions:
A maximum of 20 players and 4 coaching staff will be allowed on the ice at one timeFor Under-7 teams only, PDMHA has requested permission from the Township/facility to allow up to a maximum of 30 individuals on the ice at one time; this is to accommodate additional parent helpers & coaches required to ensure effective instruction can be provided and maintain low coach to player ratios; in such cases the number of players would still be restricted to no more than 20, and the additional individuals on ice would be parents already within the player’s social circlesCoaches will be instructed to plan practices that maintain physical distancing between playersAdditional seating will be created on either end of the player benches, and the penalty boxes will also be used, to ensure physical distancing between players on the bench
Requirements for parents/guardians at the facility:
Only one parent/guardian per player will be allowed to accompany the player to the arena- Parents must self-assess both themselves and their child before coming to the arena, and confirm that they have answered no to all questions on the OHF Health Screening Questionnaire when entering the facility
- Parents must follow the procedures outlined above to maintain physical distancing while in the arena, using designated foot traffic control measures
Departure from facility organized to meet guidelines:
- Players and coaches must vacate the changeroom within 30 minutes of the end of their ice session, and exit the building using the East door (at the end of the hallway of changerooms)
- Parents who were in the spectator stands during the ice time are asked to exit the building using the West doors (onto Platt Street) to limit the flow of foot traffic through the arena lobby; parents can proceed around the building outside to the East doors to meet their child
- Exceptions will be made for parents of younger aged players, who can proceed directly through the lobby to the changerooms, and then exit through the East door
Procedure if participant is sick:
- PDMHA will follow the same guidelines that are being provided by the local school board
- Any player, coach, or family member experiencing any “non-typical” Covid-19 related symptoms will not be allowed into the arena until they have been symptom free for twenty-four hours, or until they have provided proof of a negative Covid-19 test
- Anyone entering the facility with “typical” symptoms (e.g., runny nose and sneezing during allergy season, shortness of breath when too cold or too hot or due to asthma, etc.) will be asked to communicate such conditions during the contact tracing sign-in procedure
- PDMHA will provide a COVID-19 Self Reporting form on its website; any member testing positive for COVID-19 is required to complete the form and indicate when they last were in the arena; SWPH will be notified
Meeting with parents:
- This plan will be posted on the PDMHA website and emailed to each of its members
- A summary document will be created and distributed to parents & coaches, outlining:
- what to expect for the season and how to keep up to date on any changes
- safety measure that have been put in place
- their role in creating a safe and healthy environment, to ensure hockey can continue
- PDMHA executive members will be present at initial ice times to answer parent questions and concerns