Organized sports halted in town

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Organized spring sports in Strathmore is taking a hit from the COVID-19 public health crisis, as the town has extended its facility closure order to outdoor sports facilities.
On April 17, the Town of Strathmore extended its facility closure order to all baseball diamonds, soccer fields, tennis courts, track and field facilities, disc golf courses and the skatepark.
The order prohibits all organized sports games and practices on all fields and courts, whether on town or private property.
But residents can still access outdoor facilities for recreation, if physical distancing requirements are met, said Trent West, Town of Strathmore director of emergency management in a press release announcing the closures.
“This closure is focused on organized team sports to help people limit public gatherings,” said West. “Families from the same household can still enjoy these green spaces, though all users must respect physical distancing guidelines.”
The order will remain in effect until June 30, 2020. The town previously enacted closures for all recreation facilities and outdoor playgrounds.
The town’s municipal enforcement department has been patrolling “to help inform visitors of the closures, and how they affect users,” stated the release.
The closures are necessary to limit the potential transmission of the virus, said West.
“Slowing the spread of COVID-19 is of utmost importance within Strathmore,” he said. “To be successful with slowing the spread, we have to limit the amount of public spaces where people can gather.”
Other outdoor recreation sites “remain under review,” with gathering size limits, physical distancing and additional conditions of use in effect.
Basketball courts may be used under the conditions of “one person per ball per court,” and that users bring their own ball. While the courts remain open, the town doesn’t want pickup games played, “where there could be five or six people on each team coming in far too close contact, with a chance of contracting the virus,” said Mayor Pat Fule.
The outdoor rink can be used by one person per side at a time, if users supply their own sticks and balls, pucks or rings, do not enter the other side of the rink if occupied, and only use their stick to return pucks, balls or rings to other users.
The closures should not prevent anyone from enjoying the outdoors, said Fule.
“Should you go outside? Definitely. Go for a walk, play ball with your brother or sister, go for a bike ride. But don’t forget that this period of social isolation is helping to prevent serious illness in our community.
“Sacrificing sports right now is an important part in keeping our community safe.”