December 2020

Sat, Dec 12 @ 12:30PM  RKCC Mixed Turkey Spiel

January 2021

Mon, Jan 4 @ 2:15PM - Daytime Doubles starting at RKCC  

Click here to view the full Club Calendar 

November 30, 2020

UPDATE on NEW MASK-WEARING POLICY

Given recent feedback from some of our members regarding mask-wearing, especially for those who wear glasses, the Board wishes to advise:

1)  That it is safety first on the ice, so until you have had an opportunity to try different methods to defog your glasses, you are not to put yourselves in danger;

2)  After attempting methods to defog, if that does not work for you, we can consider your situation as a medical exemption from wearing a mask;

3)  The Return to Play committee will review the mask-wearing change of rule at a meeting to be held this week, and make recommendations to the Board.

In the interim, please continue to follow all RTP protocols already established, including social/physical distancing.  Just to give a few examples, we still see the following situations, but this is not an exhaustive list:

• Too many players in or around the house;
• Skips and vices both in the house and not six feet apart;
• Team members behind the house with the skip watching the opposition playing;
• Not getting out to the ice quickly at the beginning of the game. In other words, congregating in the hallway, or the end boards.

Please see the RTP Committee report in November’s “The Sweep” for further examples.

Best regards,
Deb Wilkin
RKCC Board

November 27, 2020

At its November 26th meeting the RKCC Board approved the following amendment to our club's Return to Play and Safety Plans.

"To have all curlers wear a mask continuously when on the ice with the exception of when throwing rocks or sweeping."

This amendment is effective immediately.

The Board members realize this is a change in our protocols but it was decided it was needed at this time to continue our efforts to keep us all as safe as possible. The second wave of the COID-19 pandemic is still affecting all we do.

Deb Wilkin
RKCC Board  President

November 6, 2020

The Ontario government is introducing a new framework, the COVID-19 Response Framework:  Keeping Ontario Safe and Open, that is effective November 7^th, 2020. Our public health unit, Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington (KFL&A), is under the PREVENT measures category of the framework, which is the least restrictive level.  As a result, we are not anticipating any changes or new restrictions to our current operations or league play.

Our club has been reopened for a month now.  The Return to Play and Safety plans seem to be working, for the most part, as we all become accustomed to a new way of life at RKCC. To safeguard the continuation of our very fortunate position, please respect the protocols the Board has implemented.  This includes maintaining the configuration of the tables and chairs in the lounge.  Tables must be a minimum of six feet apart and seating is limited to four at each table.

We do not enact these protocols just to make your life difficult; we do so to keep everyone safe and to ensure we don’t get sanctioned by our local health unit or other government authority.  We are one of the few clubs in our area that is even open, so please help keep it that way, and remind your friends/teammates as well.  Our staff should not be put in the position of reminding us of the necessary protocols - on or off the ice. 

If you have questions, please ask, as we are here to help everyone keep enjoying the club and the game safely.  Check with the club manager, your league convenor, league chair, or any member of the Return to Play task force for possible answers.

Thank you one and all for your continued efforts.

Best regards,
Deb Wilkin
President

TO ALL MEMBERS – October 9, 2020

I’m pleased to announce that our 2020-2021 season has begun.  The Evening Men’s Flight league played its first games on Thursday, Oct 8^th, utilizing all three ice times.  As we begin the new style of play there is bound to be some confusion over all the new rules and practices, on and off the ice.   Please handle these times with patience and kindness towards your fellow players and our employees.

Our membership registration continues to be strong, even with these challenging, changing times.  I would like to sincerely thank all the volunteers and staff who have worked so diligently over the past few months to get us ready for this reopening.  The game we love is back!!!  Please continue to stay safe and enjoy your games.

Best regards,
Deb Wilkin,
President

NOTICE TO ALL MEMBERS – August 27, 2020 

Well the day has finally arrived – our Return to Play and Safety Plan documents have been approved by the Board and are now available on our website. We hope you find them informative and helpful with your decision-making for the upcoming curling season. Please remember these are living documents and could change as our circumstances change. 

Several training and information sessions are being designed as we speak, so please stay tuned for the exact dates, times, and formats to be posted soon. Your feedback is always welcome.

All the best, 

Deb Wilkin
President

RETURN TO PLAY TASK FORCE – Update for RKCC Members – August 4, 2020

We have now met for four consecutive weeks to develop the safety protocols for curling this fall.  Major strides have already been made, and we will continue meeting on a weekly basis, with our final plan scheduled to be released at the end of August.  Here is a summary of the work completed to date:

• Three Guiding Principles established for the task force:
• Adhere to the Ontario government’s regulations for Stage 3 reopening
• Adhere to the Kingston Frontenac Lennox & Addington Public Health orders
• Implement the CurlON/ Curling Canada Return-to-Play guidelines where appropriate for our club

• Many consultations with our KFL&A PH Health Inspector - starting in the spring for pickleball and now for curling. He advised us on:
  • 50 participants allowed in the ice shed, and
  • 50 participants allowed in the lounge
    • Note: the two areas must be separate & with distinct purposes
  • Protocols for proper locker room usage
  • Clarification regarding league play within the club (yes, you can belong to more than one league)

• KFL&A PH Health Inspector has been invited to meet with the task force at the club to review safety protocols on site

• Board approved Participant Agreement to be signed by all members, visitors and employees

• RKCC COVID-19 Safety Plan document being completed:
• Assessment of the risks at the club
• Implement protocols to reduce the risks, including all club cleaning requirements
  • Mask wearing and physical distancing requirements
  • Policy development where needed
  • Communications plans and training as required
  • Monitoring and updating of plans as necessary

• Traffic flow on and off the ice, and game scheduling procedures are well underway, including contact tracing processes

• Training/educational workshops being designed by the Curling Committee

The task force is focused on taking every reasonable measure to protect your health and ensure a safe return to the game we all enjoy. However, we recognize that playing sports always involves some level of risk and that ultimately it is up to you to decide whether or when to return. We hope our efforts will help you with your decision.

Best regards,

Deb Wilkin, Martha Tanner, Karen Matheson, Keith Mitchell, Steve Hulton

Return To Play Task Force

NOTICE TO ALL MEMBERS – MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD – July 24, 2020

On behalf of the RKCC Board of Directors, I am pleased to provide you with this update.

The club will be reopening for the 2020-2021 season, beginning Oct 5^th, 2020, with league play beginning October 13^th, 2020.  All of your favourite leagues will again be available.  The lounge and locker rooms will also be accessible.

The Return-to-Play task force continues to meet to ensure all government regulations and local health authority orders are being implemented to ensure your safety, with more details to be published by the end of August.  Another survey being sent in the next week or so will help this group finalize its recommendations to the Board. Please be sure to complete and submit it so your views are known.

Please stay tuned for the member registration process to begin sometime in early August.  Just as a reminder, for returning members, the registration deadline date is September 13^th, 2020.

We are so looking forward to seeing all of you back for another season.  There will be changes to the way we play the game, so please plan to join us during the first week for the information sessions/practices being designed for you.  Don’t forget to check out the CurlON/Curling Canada Guidelines, Webinar, and FAQs available on our website.  Let’s learn and play together and continue to enjoy the game we all love.

Further updates will be sent as we progress towards opening.

Sincerely,

Deb Wilkin

President, Royal Kingston Curling Club

NOTICE TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL KINGSTON CURLING CLUB, July 13, 2020

On behalf of the RKCC Board of Directors, I am pleased to provide you with this update.

The Ontario Government announced today that Stage 3 of the COVID-19 provincial reopening plan will be effective beginning this Friday, July 17^th, at 12:01 am.  All indoor recreational facilities are included in the reopening, subject to a maximum limit of 50 people.  Physical distancing will still be required with people outside your social circle, which remains at a maximum of 10 people.

There are still many details to consider and the Board will be developing our next steps during the upcoming weeks.  The Return-to-Play workforce has developed Guiding Principles and has begun discussing the club’s plan for the fall. CurlON/Curling Canada have released their Return-to-Play Guidelines, which we will post on the club’s website.   Other committees continue to consider the many options available and which ones best consider the continued safety of our members, our employees and our broader community as we move forward.

The next Board meeting is being held July 22^nd, 2020 after which we will provide another update regarding our plans.

Respectfully,

Deb Wilkin

President, Royal Kingston Curling Club

NOTICE TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL KINGSTON CURLING CLUB, May 29, 2020

On behalf of the RKCC Board of Directors, I am pleased to provide you with this update.

As previously announced, curling activities for the 2019/2020 season ceased on March 15^th.   The Club closed to the public shortly after that, as per government regulation.   The Board of Directors and several committees have continued to meet since then, using internet meeting facilities, and we continue to monitor COVID-19 regulations and developments.

The RKCC Curling Committee has developed a curling calendar for the 2020/2021 season, based on the premise that the club will open on time in September, and under our existing league and bonspiel frameworks.   The RKCC Finance Committee is developing a draft budget for the 2020/2021 season that is consistent with this expectation.

In addition, the Board and the committees are considering the impacts of alternative scenarios, including a potential deferral of the opening date, as well as potential changes in the league frameworks that might arise from updated curling protocols.   In particular, we have been advised by CurlON that a “return to play” action plan is in development by Curling Canada and all member associations, which should be available for review and approval sometime in June 2020.

At our most recent Board meeting, we ratified the hiring of a new Head Ice Technician.   You will hear more about this in a future update. In addition, we established the date and time of the 2020 Annual General Meeting. The AGM will be a virtual meeting, and will be held on Wednesday, July 8^th , starting at 7:00 pm.   More details will follow on how to register for this meeting.  

The Board and committees will continue to meet over the summer and refine our plans for the 2020/2021 curling season. I would like to assure you that the safety of our members, our employees and our broader community will continue to be a priority during our deliberations.

We will keep you informed of any further developments, as they arise, and we thank you for your patience and support during these challenging and unusual times. 

Sincerely, 

Edward Gibson

President, Royal Kingston Curling Club