Thunder Bay is working on allowing more players and spectators at its city-owned arenas.
City Manager Norm Gale confirms the city is hiring a temporary full-time coordinator to lead a COVID-19 screening program.
It will take as much as eight weeks to recruit, schedule, and train volunteers, although Gale says the screener training takes only around three hours.
While the city prepares to recruit and train volunteer screeners, Gale said the city is redirecting staff and contracted security staff to screen visitors to its satellite arenas.
Gale asks spectators to be patient with screeners and city staff, saying he’s seen “invective, bullying, and intimidation” on social media and over email.
“It’s not okay,” Gale says. “We serve [the public], but that doesn’t give people a license to harass people.”
In a response sent to Acadia News Friday, Thunder Bay Hockey Community Facebook group spokesperson Lex MacArthur stressed the situation should’ve been looked after sooner.
“The survey sent on September 28th was inadequate in consulting the Arena user groups,” MacArthur added. “It is time to invite the hockey groups to the table where I’m certain we could find a resolution in mere days . It is time to allow the Hockey Community to do the job, just as we do at other local facilities not operated by the city of Thunder Bay. We can provide volunteers to take attendance and ensure compliance to capacity limits. The city has already employed security who can take the responsibility of ensuring individuals are fully vaccinated upon entry. The hockey Community is ready, willing and up to the task to allow for parents, grandparents and family members to attend to our players’ games.”
The city will also keep working with user groups to figure out their spectator needs.
For now, limits will remain the same at the city’s arenas.
Gale says it’s too early to comment on how training volunteers or hiring more staff will be funded.
