COVID-19

At Calgary Lawn Bowling Club, we understand many of our members and visitors are concerned about where our game of bowls sits within Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

This page will feature all of our latest updates in regard to messages and notifications surrounding the ever-updating situation. As a sports club in our community, it is our responsibility to respond to the circumstances. This situation is unprecedented for our 2020 season, and the health and safety of our members and visitors is always our top priority.

We are currently working with Bowls Alberta, Bowls Canada Boulingrin and City of Calgary for this coming season of bowls.

Your board at Calgary Lawn Bowling Club is closely monitoring the evolution and we will react to the best of our ability, and adhere to the guidance from Alberta Health Services. We are doing everything to make sure that our community remains as safe as possible for all our members and visitors, and we will work together to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

As information about COVID-19 becomes available, your board is committed to ensuring clear succinct communication about any changes to our club’s plans in 2020.

For updates to Calgary Lawn Bowling Club’s 2020 season, please visit Club News.

Return to Play

Must be filled out by all players & volunteers- NO EXCEPTIONS

Waiver
Declaration

Phase One- Training & Practice Only

Our club has been granted authority to open from our National and Provincial Associations, the Provincial Health Authority, our Municipal Recreation Liaison, our Insurer, and our facility joint lease partner. There has been much work done to get here.

We understand that many of you would prefer to not partake at this time for your own personal reasons. That is absolutely your decision. You are under no pressure to resume play. It is completely at your discretion.
We are targeting the week of June 15 to re-open. We have selected Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday as play days initially. There are two times per day either 10 am, 2 pm or 7 pm in two hour blocks. We are playing on alternating rinks using both greens. Reservations are limited to two weeks at a time and may be allotted at the discretion of the President. We are allowed limited access to the washrooms.

There will be no formal Jitney or games among members of different house-holds at this stage. Phase II allows for some moderation to normal games. We will be informed by Bowls Canada Boulingrin and Bowls Alberta when that will be allowed.

You must complete both of the attached Declaration and Waiver forms in their entirety and return them to the club care of Fred Emms in order to be able to play or to volunteer – NO EXCEPTIONS. You are welcome to bring them to the Club for your first booking. If you prefer another alternative, please contact Fred directly to make arrangements

You can now arrange for a rink booking by clicking the link to SignUp through members email: SignUp Genius CLBC Rink Booking

If you require assistance to make your booking, please contact Fred or Mike to do so (see contact details below). You will not be allowed to play without first having reserved on SignUp Genius.

We will have a Safety Volunteer on-site, trained to supervise activity, access to washrooms, along with cleaning and sterilizing where required. Signage will be posted to remind you of the proper precautions to take.

The Safety Volunteers will be trained in advance by our Safety Officer, Fred Emms (THANK YOU!). We greatly appreciate those who have already offered to volunteer.

Our play will be limited and we will use a measured approach to opening up further in the weeks ahead. To begin, we have the following limitations:

* DO NOT show up if you are feeling sick, have symptoms of COVID-19, or have come into contact with someone with COVID-19
* No access to lockers, kitchen or other buildings (washroom only)
* Observe physical distancing of at least 2m
* Individual practice or same-house players only
* No shared equipment (no jacks, rakes, mats, or drop sheets)
* Everyone must complete a Declaration and Waiver document in advance to play
* You must reserve a rink and play time in advance (using SignUp Genius)
* We are considering the process to lend out bowls to members (please contact membership@calgarylawnbowlingclub.ca for details)
The following are Bowler Expectations that you must abide by each time you play during Phase I:

* Pre-schedule with Signup Genius when you would like to play; do not just show up and expect to play.
* Arrive no more than 5 minutes before your scheduled time, and leave promptly when you are finished.
* Practice physical distancing by staying a minimum of two meters away from each other at all times.
* Use your own bowls. If you do not own your own bowls, make sure to contact membership@calgarylawnbowlingclub.ca in advance to request to borrow a set.

* Bring a towel to use in place of a mat.
* Use a tennis/golf ball as a jack.
* Do not share any equipment.
* Do not shake hands or high five.
* Do not visit with other people; stick to your assigned rink and maintain physical distancing.
* Do not bring visitors with you to your scheduled bowling time slot.
* Do not access closed spaces or equipment rooms.
* Do not loiter in the parking lot before or after you have finished bowling.
* Do not enter the clubhouse for the washroom if there is no Safety Volunteer present.
* Follow the on-site clubhouse regulations.
* Bring your own water as the water fountain, kitchen, and lockers are off limits.
* Take home your own waste material as much as possible.
* If you are feeling unwell, regardless of the symptoms, stay home.

If ANY MEMBERS OR VOLUNTEERS are being tested for COVID-19 you must notify CLBC IMMEDIATELY. Contact Fred (403.200.8808) or Mike (403.909.3208)

We encourage you to visit the following sites to understand the significance of COVD-19 and the precautions you should take to protect yourself:
Government of Canada COVID-19 symptoms<https://nam05.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.canada.ca%2Fen%2Fpublic-health%2Fservices%2Fdiseases%2F2019-novel-coronavirus-infection%2Fsymptoms&data=02%7C01%7C%7Ce45ac713202a4c22a8e708d80cba4035%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637273341688875210&sdata=nYM6yuH6GEfmPukN%2BZrhgqDxzDwepMbRIXr6PIGBXis%3D&reserved=0>

If you require any assistance with anything above, please reach out to:
Fred Emms- Safety Officer: fredemms1@gmail.com
Mike O’Reilly- President: president@calgarylawnbowlingclub.ca

Bowls Canada Boulingrin has released their Phase In Return to Play protocols.
https://www.bowlscanada.com/en/news/news_release/2020-05-15.html

Bowls Alberta will now help clubs in the province adapt these protocols to meet the requirements of provincial and municipal health orders. The Clubs will then define how they will make play available to their members in the safest way possible.

For Calgary LBC, this means training Safety Volunteers, creating proper signage, having members sign waivers, and developing online booking of rinks. Play will return in a measured way – members only, no shared equipment, physical distancing, and individual or same-house play to begin with. This is all being done in close communication with our City of Calgary Recreation Lawn Bowls Liaison and our insurance company.

Phase 2- Modified Local Games

TBA

Phase 3- Intra Club Games

TBA

Phase 4- Regional/Provincial Competition

TBA

Membership & Fees

Typically, the SAGM is the time that membership forms are collected and club dues are paid. Since at this point it is highly unlikely that the club will even have any lawn bowling in 2020, the Board of Directors have extended your 2019 memberships into 2020 free of charge. If there has been any change to your contact information (address, phone number, other email address) since last year, please forward the details to membership@calgarylawnbowlingclub.ca

The club still needs your help if you are able. The club’s expenses do not cease because we will not be bowling – greens still need to be maintained and utilities and insurance still need to be paid, and we estimate this season’s expenses will be in the range of $50,000 even if we don’t bowl. We are asking that if you can contribute an amount equivalent to the 2019 CLBC membership fee of $125, or part thereof, please do. The club is not in dire financial straits *yet*, but we want the club to remain viable for when we are on the other side of this horrible pandemic so any financial contribution will help.

Three Ways To Support Our Club

1. Payments can be made by credit card on the CLBC website:

https://calgarylawnbowlingclub.ca/payment/

2. Payments can be made by e-transfer:

treasurer@calgarylawnbowlingclub.ca

There will be a security question and answer required. Please use this security question “What is the little round target called in lawn bowling?” Please put the answer as a one word answer.

3. Payments can be made by check

Please email treasurer@calgarylawnbowlingclub.ca for more information.

Semi-Annual General Meeting

Our SAGM on May 30th, 2020 and information Can now be viewed by our club members on the member’s page.

Junior Bowls

Regretfully, the Calgary Lawn Bowling Club’s Junior Program will not be running in 2020 due to COVID-19 concerns.

Drop-in & Group Rentals

The city of Calgary declaring that all public events scheduled to Aug 31, 2020, are to be cancelled.

Pride Lawn Bowling

We are truly sad to announce cancellation of Pride Lawn Bowling for the summer of 2020.

We care about all Pride Lawn Bowlers and we are committed to doing what is necessary to protect the health and safety of our community, in the light of this worldwide pandemic.

This is a difficult and emotional, but necessary because of restrictions on sport leagues.

Please stay safe and we look forward to seeing you all on the greens, when it is safe to do so.