Acadia outlines Athletics Complex opening steps to be taken in "Scaling for Success"

To Our Valued Acadia Athletics Complex Members, Faculty, Staff and Students:

In our June 30 message, we shared that the University is involved in a tremendous amount of planning to ensure our return to campus is as safe as possible this fall. Our primary objectives are to ensure the campus is fully operational in September, to protect the people in our complex, and to integrate campus and community activities successfully and safely.

While the Acadia Athletics Complex is a University operation, and subject to its oversight, we do have special circumstances that require us to implement a "Scaled for Success" approach to our facility re-opening. Taking measured steps to Complex Re-opening ensures alignment with Acadia's Return to Campus Safely planning for the fall term and ensures a return to operation Athletics Complex that is as smooth and as safe as possible. This measured approach will help us meet our intended objectives listed above. We are working hard to ensure that the opening of the facility is scaled for success, and that means Acadia students will remain our priority.

What does "Scaling for Success" look like?

STEP 1 – Outdoor Recreation and Private Businesses

We have successfully opened and managed our outdoor soccer and adventure camps and have also phased in two privately-owned businesses (Acadia Performance Training and Acadia Sports Therapy Clinic) within the first step of our facility re-opening process.

The continued re-opening of the Athletics Complex will see us progress through three additional steps in the coming months to ensure we meet our goal of safely offering our users an indoor environment that meets Acadia University and the provincial health authority standards without compromise.

Starting August 31^st, Varsity teams may begin formalized training with individual sessions with student-athletes who do not require or have completed their 14-day quarantine. Teams will scale up into small groups and team training sessions in September. Individual and team training sessions are required to meet NS Public Health Return to Sport and PSO specific Return to Play requirements.

STEP 2 – Acadia Faculty and Staff

Beginning Tuesday, September 8

Beginning September 8, the *Fitness Centre within the Acadia Athletics Complex will be open to Acadia faculty and staff members.

• Faculty and Staff will gain access to the Fitness Centre only. Change rooms will not be available for use.

*Access to the Fitness Centre will require an appointment booking by either phone or online. Details will follow in the coming weeks.

STEP 3 – Acadia Students

Beginning Monday, September 21

Beginning September 21, the Fitness Centre within the Acadia Athletics Complex will be open to Acadia students.

• Students will have access to the Fitness Centre and scheduled student recreational programming. Change rooms will not be available for use.
• Acadia Faculty and Staff will have access to the Fitness Centre only. Change rooms will not be available for use.

STEP 4 - Community Members

In the fall, our plan is to welcome back our community users with memberships to the Athletics Complex fitness centre. We will continue to remain in touch with our community members and will prepare to welcome them back when it is safe to do so.

What about other features of the facility including the pool, arena, locker rooms, walking tracks and change rooms?

Fitness Classes will resume in late September. However, not all facility features will be available in the Complex reopening steps. This includes no access to the indoor and outdoor walking/running tracks, public skate, and public change rooms. The University also made the decision to keep the Acadia swimming pool closed throughout the fall term as an expense mitigation and health and safety measure.

The Acadia Box Office will resume operation with the following hours beginning on September 8.

Monday – Friday, 12-5pm
Saturday – 1-4pm or Closed
Sunday – Closed

Again, for those users who have facility memberships that have been suspended since March 16, when our Box Office reopens on September 8, we will be offering an extension to your facility membership for the time missed during the closure. There will be an increased fee structure beginning in September, however, this will not affect those who received extensions to their membership for time missed during the closure.

When facility operations and programming resumes, we will also rely on those accessing the facility to follow all communicated health and hygiene procedures to ensure we keep the Acadia Athletics Complex safe for all users. Health and safety measures include a requirement to wear of masks when inside the facility.

Thank you all for your continued support and understanding during this time. We look forward to welcoming you back to the Acadia Athletics Complex. As noted earlier this summer, Acadia's goal is to have students back on campus this fall, and in line with that, our main objective is to welcome our staff, faculty and students back to the Acadia Athletics Complex by September 21.

Before visiting Acadia's campus, please visit the COVID-19 information website for campus status, latest updates, and health and safety requirements for visitors to campus.

Sincerely,

Kevin Dickie
Executive Director
Athletics and Community Events