For as active a community as Whistler is, the COVID-19 lockdown has felt especially constraining. But thanks to the work of municipal staff, antsy Whistlerites will have a few more recreational outlets in the coming weeks, as everything from ice skating to cross-country skiing is set to resume.
Providing an update to mayor and council at a Committee of the Whole meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 6, the Resort Municipality of Whistler’s (RMOW) manager of recreation Roger Weetman said the past few months of the pandemic “have been a whirlwind” for staff members as they prepared to restart a host of recreational activities in the safety way possible.
“For me, this was a telling time,” Weetman said. “It was a time when we knew nothing about the virus and how it spread. I’m very thankful that since that time, we’ve made leaps and bounds.”
Read on for more information on the current and upcoming status of a host of RMOW-run recreational services and facilities.
Meadow Park Sports Centre Pool
• Main pool reopened Oct. 5 to public-lane swimming only.
• Pre-booked 60-minute timeslots must be reserved.
• Leisure pool being targeted for reopening in mid-October.
• Aquafit sessions will resume Oct. 20.
• Likely no swimming lessons until at least the New Year.
Meadow Park Sports Centre Fitness Centre
• Reopened Aug. 17.
• Pre-booked 75-minute timeslots must be reserved, including access to weight room, cardio room and stretching room.
• Existing membership passes were extended for the length of the closure, plus an additional three weeks.
• Outdoor fitness classes moved indoors in mid-September, and are available through online registration only. Class capacity is determined by the intensity of the activity.
Meadow Park Sports Centre Ice Rink
• Reopened Aug. 17.
• Public skating will resume Oct. 19.
Meadow Park Sports Centre Squash and Basketball Courts
• Pre-booked 45-minute timeslots must be reserved, and are only available to up to two members of the same household per booking.
Resuming Gameplay at Meadow Park Sports Centre
The RMOW is following viaSport’s guidelines for resuming gameplay at the MPSC, which involves a cohort model.
“Really, it means you’ve got to play within that user group,” explained Weetman.
“That is in essence the only way sport can happen with full-contact play.”
The cohort approach limits the number of participants to those who will primarily interact with each other within a sporting environment over a period of time, intending to curtail the number of people each athlete comes into contact with and reduce the risk of transmission.
Cohorts should be made up of individuals or teams of similar age and skill level, and can comprise up to 50 people and four teams to form a mini-league.
This could have implications for spectators, with Weetman noting it’s unlikely parents will be permitted, for instance, to attend their child’s hockey games at the MPSC in order to keep below the 50-person capacity. Families should be allowed to watch practices, however, he added.
Drop-in Sports at Meadow Park Sports Centre
• Master lists will be created for each sport, or sport level, to a maximum of 50 people per list.
• Only those on the master list will be permitted to register for a sporting session of the sport they choose.
• Individuals can only be on one drop-in sport master list to reduce the risk of transmission.
Skating at Whistler Olympic Plaza
• Opens Dec. 11.
• Skate rentals will be $8 per pair.
• The RMOW is considering a nominal entry fee for customers with their own skates.
• Approximately 40-person capacity.
Lost Lake Nordic Skiing
• The RMOW is anticipating a busy cross-country ski season, with already a 200-per-cent increase in extra-early-bird pass sales.
• Early-bird prices are in place until Nov. 8.
• The new Lost Lake Trail North (formerly Old Mill Road) is being widened to facilitate two-way cross-country skiing between Lost Lake and Nicklaus North.
Whistler Public Library
• Remains open for contactless holds pickup from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and from 12 to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
• The library is preparing to reopen to in-person browsing by late October. Browsing sessions will likely be limited to 20- to 30-minute timeslots, and most furniture will be removed to discourage lingering.
