The return to the ice and facilities at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex will be up for discussion on Wednesday, December 16th with the Soldotna City Council addressing a proposed re-opening of the facility for limited use as early as Friday, December 18th.
Tonight’s Soldotna City Council meeting is set for 6:00 p.m. and the meeting will be available through ZOOM and through telephone access. For the ZOOM link and call-in phone number go to soaldotna.org website.
The proposed re-opening of the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex is under the New Business-Other category on the agenda. The SRSC has been closed to the public since the Soldotna City Council announced the closure of the facility on Friday, November 13th.
Details within the memorandum to the Soldotna City Council from Soldotna City Manager Stephanie Queen include (not limited to):
…All people entering SRSC must wear masks at all times, even when on the ice and practicing.
…No spectators are allowed. Only players, skaters, coaches and organization officials may enter
the building for skating times with the exception of U6 and U8 parents/guardians, as mentioned
below.
…U8 and U6 players may be accompanied by one parent or guardian per player into SRSC to assist
with readying player. U8 and U6 player parents/accompanying adult shall exit rink once
child/player is dressed and on the ice. Parent/accompanying adult may re‐enter at end of ice
time time to assist players post practice exit.
…Players shall come to the rink dressed to play. Team rooms will not be open.
…Players, officials, coaches, and U6/U8 parents may not enter the rink more than 15 minutes
prior to ice time start, and shall exit SRSC within 15 minutes after ice time’s end.
…Games and scrimmages are not allowed to be played at this time. The ice is open for practices
only, and any contact or checking drills shall be limited to ensure social distancing can be
maintained.
…On ice limits shall be:
44 people total (including players, coaches, and other adult helpers) for U8 and U6
hockey teams;
32 people for all other hockey team practices; and
25 skaters for freestyle times.
…Each hockey organization utilizing ice time shall have a representative present at each team
practice to:
…Inform and remind players, officials, and parents of facility rules;
…Check players in, and ensure any person experiencing a symptom of illness does not
enter the facility; and
…Maintain attendance logs and contact information as may be needed for contact
tracing.
Multiple individuals and user groups have provided written testimony supporting the re-opening of the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex to the Soldotna City Council.
Among those advocating for the re-opening, the Kenai Peninsula Hockey Association.
Dear Mayor Whitney and City Council Members,
The Kenai Peninsula Hockey Association would like to weigh in on your discussion about whether to
re-open the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. Our membership is the largest user group of the
sports complex during the winter months and feel we should have input in your decision making. We
understand that the issue of COVID-19 transmission in our community is a concern; however, it is
necessary to also consider the mental and physical health of our youth at the same time.
As a board, we would like to assure you that we are doing everything possible to keep the kids
skating in a safe manner that mitigates any significant COVID transmission risk. We are requiring
facemasks inside all buildings, requiring all kids to come to the rink in full gear, support keeping locker
rooms closed for now, spectators maintain 6 foot distances and anyone with symptoms stays home.
Our membership understands the severity of the situation and are willing to make these small
sacrifices if it means we can keep our kids on the ice. Since the Sports Center closed, we moved all
practices and games to Kenai under these very strict guidelines and thus far, it has gone fairly well.
However, we have had to move many practices to the day time which does not work for many and
if the weather turns cold, we will not be able to keep the kids on the ice.
We would like to encourage you to reopen the Soldotna Sports Center and allow our local youth the
opportunity to continue skating through the winter. To our knowledge, there has been zero
transmission of COVID at the rinks and we hope to continue that trend forward. We will do everything
in our power to follow the mitigation plans of the Sports Center and KPHA.
Sincerely,
Kenai Peninsula Hockey Association Board
The Soldotna City Council’s scheduled meeting is set for Wednesday, December 16th beginning at 6:00 p.m.
