Dear PFC Family,
We hope you are safe and well.
This may be the most challenging message we’ve sent to date so stick with us while we explain ourselves.
Pickering FC prides itself on ‘doing the right thing’. We like to believe that is the reason why we are the 2020 Readers Choice Award for Best Sports Team and it is definitely why we succeed as a Canada Soccer National Youth Licensed Club and a key partner with the City of Pickering in the delivery of soccer programs from Balsam to Rouge Park and every point in between.
With Durham Region moving into the RED ZONE this had significant impact on the use of our facility. We have discussed at length with City and Regional officials what we can and cannot do - Mayor Dave Ryan even took time to speak with us just yesterday. The bottom line – any subdividing of the field house MUST be with a floor to ceiling solid wall. Plastic sheeting or tarps attached to our netting is not acceptable and would risk a fine of up to $100,000. While City and Regional officials were complimentary about the thoroughness of our protocols and how we had been communicating them the Regional Chief Medical Officer is standing firm on this field divider issue.
Now we could opt to ignore this directive. I’m sure many of you are aware of other sport locations in the Region* that are choosing to break the rule. Again, Pickering FC will do the right thing and respect the decision made by those tasked with keeping us safe. We will continue to engage in active discussion at the municipal levels to see whether some logic can be used in a space the size of ours, but until such time, we don’t get to pick and chose which rules to follow and which ones we don’t follow.
For the first time in many years the City will be issuing permits to us for outdoor turf field use and while the weather remains clear and cool, we will get as much action outdoors as we possibly can. As a slight adjustment from last weeks direction, we can confirm that:
Competitive and High-Performance programs are being offered the chance to train outdoors. This is a team by team decision with any missed sessions to be made up during the break between Indoor and Outdoor (usually April to mid May). The format will return to training with no games and in order to keep numbers low at any given time there will be adjustments to the schedule.
Recreational programs including Indoor Rec (U3-U18), Women’s Rec and external bookings for games will be suspended until further notice. We have started to prepare for Mini Season #2 and hope to kick this off at the start of January, subject to pandemic zoning restrictions.
All Abilities program has moved quickly back to their virtual training platform led by Coach T and Coach Zain. Look out for a story on CBC coming soon!
Pickering Soccer Centre Users have already been contacted directly by Lisa. At this time no external users are able to access the facility.
As we learn more you will be communicated to directly via email (program specific information) or through this Weekly Email and social media (general information).
*Each Regional Health Unit has the discretion to interpret the indoor sport space. Toronto are equally as firm as Durham Region Health while York Region have shown more flexibility.
