Facilities like the NationsWEST Field House are starting to get more use from the public since July 11. (Josh Ryan/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By battlefordsNOW Staff

Recreation returning

CUplex facilities starting to see usage increase

Jul 20, 2021 | 2:32 PM

Indoor recreation is slowly coming back to the Battlefords.

Since the province lifted COVID-19 restrictions on July 11, included gathering size limits and mandatory mask wearing, residents have been able to access facilities like the NationsWEST Field House and the Battlefords Co-op Aquatic Centre.

Michelle Horncastle, CUplex Manager for the City of North Battleford, said it’s been a good start for them in Step 3 of Saskatchewan’s Reopening Road Map, with several community groups already booking times weekly.

“Especially here at the Field House, we’ve had the local pickle ball club back playing games,” she said.

battlefordsNOW spoke off the record to several people that attended the Field House last week who said they were excited to be able to access the facility again. Horncastle said it’s also been smooth over at the Aquatic Centre with lane swims seeing a slight bump in participation and swimming lessons operating without having to have parents involved to the extent they were before.

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“So, they’re running as before with regular class sizes and the instructors are back in the water,” Horncastle said.

While the capacity limits has an obvious impact in the volume of people coming into the facilities, Horncastle said the atmosphere has improved for staff and patrons with the mask mandate being lifted as well.

“It’s good for everybody, I think we’re all excited to see people’s faces again,” she said. “And with the summer heat, having to wear masks wouldn’t be the most pleasant experience at the Field House.”

Horncastle said in addition to the weekly bookings there’s been several one-off rentals from groups excited to be back inside the Field House. However, individual drop-in numbers haven’t noticeably changed so far, which Horncastle said could be due to a variety of factors.

“People have so many other things going on during the summer that it might not be their first priority right now,” she said.

As the community moves further away from July 11, Horncastle believes they’ll see another increase, especially as programs and events come up. These include an introductory dive clinic on July 25-26, and day camps that start up again Mondays through Fridays.

“That’s our own in house programming and then we have sets of swimming lessons as well,” she said.

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cjnbnews@pattisonmedia.com

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