The Whitney Forum is back open and the ice surface is ready to go, albeit with a long list of COVID-19-related changes.
City of Flin Flon crews spent early August working on the arena’s plumbing and dressing rooms, adding in the ice surface later in the month.
The rink will see a few differences from normal operation, starting with entering the building. Members of the public will only be able to enter and exit through the back door into the lobby. Only the two bathrooms located in the rink’s lobby will be open to the public.
For people using the walking track around the rink, the track will only be open from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. and social distancing protocols will be in effect.
Dressing rooms and showers at the rink will not be opened - partially due to COVID-19 standards and partially because of ongoing plumbing work within the arena.
A maximum of 20 people will be allowed on the rink’s ice surface at a time. Anyone playing or practicing on the ice will only be able to enter 15 minutes or less before their ice slot starts and will need to leave within 15 minutes of finishing the slot. Players will need to arrive to the rink in full gear, except for skates and helmets, which can be put on in the arena lobby. Skaters will need to wear skate guards at all times when off-ice and anyone going to the arena for scrub ice sessions will need to buy a punch pass at City Hall before hitting the ice.
Anyone with any symptoms of COVID-19, including fever, coughing, shortness of breath, loss of sense of smell and taste and others, is asked to stay home.
Ice slots at the Forum until August 21 will be used for the Xtreme Hockey School, with public skate, private skate and scrub ice slots being made available starting August 22. The Forum’s schedule is subject to change, pending ice time bookings.
