Northford Ice Pavilion Guidelines for Hockey Camps and Groups

• Players must wear masks when entering and exiting the facility.
• Masks are not required when on the ice.
• A waiver must be filled out prior to entering the facility online. Players under the age of 18 will need a parent to assist in filling out the form.
• Players will be allowed entry to the building 15 minutes prior to their ice rental time and will be required to exit 10 minutes after their rental.
• Players will be notified by a staff member when they will be permitted to enter the building.
• Players will be required to enter and exit the facility in 6’ intervals from one another.
• Coaches are encouraged to maintain social distance from players with limited contact.
• You will be encouraged to arrive dressed to access your on ice session.
•  Children under 14 will be allowed 1 parent in the building.
•  Discourage players from sharing personal items - sticks, equipment, water bottles, etc.
• Players not actively participating must maintain 6 feet of distance.
• Coaches and players must their sanitize hands before entering the ice and when exiting.
• Use of practice stations whenever possible.
• Parents must monitor their young child to make sure they are maintaining proper distance from one another.
• Coaches and players must avoid talking within close proximity of each other.
•  Seating areas will be marked with 6 feet distancing from one another.
•  Use of showers is not permitted at this time only to wash your hands.
• There will be no congregating inside or outside the building.
•  Coaches or camp organizer will be required to make sure each player has their temperature taken daily.
• Staff members will be required to check in players and direct them to their assigned rink.
• Utilize non-contact drills and drills that require all players to stand in line.
• Players not actively participating must maintain 6 feet of distance from one another along the boards.  
• Players should disinfect helmets, sticks, and skates after each training session.
• Have a designated COVID-19 point of contact for questions and concerns.
• Notifying staff, officials, families of youth teams rules for sports facility closures and restrictions.

General Measures:

•  Rink capacity will be reduced in accordance to state guidelines per rink.
• Keeping up with CT COVID-19 health guidelines.
• Signage will be posted around building and on the website of the COVID-19 exposure and steps the arena is taking to keep everyone safe.
• Designated entrance and exit doors.
• One way markings will be placed around the facility.
• Ensuring all customers wear masks.
• Employees will be wearing masks and gloves.
• Log book will be provided for enhanced sanitizing of lobby, snack bar, locker rooms, bathrooms, door handles, and all counter tops.
• Screening temperature of customers and employees entering the building.
• Implementing social distancing in locker rooms, on benches, and at snack bar with tape markers.
• Offering hand sanitizer in front of the building and in each rink.
• Booking and payments will be done remotely thereby eliminating contact with office staff.
• Ice times will be booked with spacing to prevent engagement between customers entering and exiting.
• Spectators will be prohibited in the building.
• Increasing distance of credit card machine and adding sneeze shield between employees and customers at snack bar.
• Encourage employees to self-monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19 and require that employees report when they are sick or experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.
• Prior to reopening our facility, we will train all staff via email, and/or conference call regarding new procedures for COVID-19 response.
• Only schedule number of staff essential for operations and upholding proposed plan.
• Employees must disclose any potential COVID-19 exposure and symptoms to management and self-quarantine as needed.  Employees will be sent home immediately if they feel ill at work and will contact management.

Sanitizing

• Common/High-Traffic Areas – Increase cleaning intervals to ensure a safe environment.  Athletic areas will have limited capacity per state guidelines.  Congregating in common areas will not be allowed (lobby, snack bar seating area, and outdoors).
• “High-Touch Areas” - Disinfect doors, handles, light switches, keyboards, telephones, handrails, point-of-sale systems, faucets, and restroom dispensers 3 to 4 times daily.
• Player benches, penalty boxes, scoreboard controllers, and locker room benches – Disinfect between uses and record it in a time log.
• Operations – All operational controls, equipment and tools will be disinfected following each shift and between use, if feasible, if these items are manned and/or used by more than one worker.
• Floors and Walls – Mop floor surfaces 3-4 times daily and disinfect frequently touched wall surfaces.
• Locker rooms – Customers will be assigned to specific rooms upon entry.  All 24 rooms have been marked to maintain 6 ft. distancing and will be disinfected prior to and after each groups’ use.  All locker room doors will be propped open.  Room capacity will be limited based on the state guidelines. 
• Ice Surfaces – Conduct maintenance and cleaning hourly or between group uses.  There will be no contact allowed between participants.
• Handwashing – Staff has been instructed to wash their hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and every 60 minutes, especially at the beginning of their shift, prior to meals, smoking, sneezing, coughing, drinking, entering and leaving the facility, assisting a fallen skater, and after using the restroom.  Hand sanitizer “stations” have been placed throughout the facility.
• Respiratory Etiquette- Workers and patrons will be instructed to cover their mouths and noses with their sleeves/elbows/tissues when coughing or sneezing to avoid touching their faces.
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) – Face masks and gloves will be required for all employees cleaning and coming in contact with the public.   

Communicating to Our Customers

• Provide communication to our customers and user groups via email, social media, and on our website to inform them of our reopening plan- how we will protect them and what to expect when they return to our facility.  They need to feel safe upon their return, trusting that we care about their wellbeing.
• Display new customer-centric signage in our facility (handwashing, social distancing, etc.).
• Staff will be trained to give friendly reminders to customers regarding policies, especially when they are found to be in violation of safety precautions.
• Will require sick employees to stay home and ensure that sick leave policies are flexible and consistent with public health guidance.