For some time now Bowl Canada has been closely monitoring the Coronavirus pandemic with the aim of being able to confidently decide on an appropriate course of action with regards to the running of our scheduled events. Our first event of the season is our primary concern at this time, namely the Youth Bowl Canada (YBC) National Championships scheduled for early May in Calgary, AB.
The province of Alberta (host of the YBC Nationals) posted a position last night stating that all events of 250 people or more are to be cancelled “indefinitely” (click here for info from the Calgary Herald). The announcement does not stipulate a specific timeline, so it is unclear if this restriction will still be in force come May. Presumably the vagueness of the statement is to allow the Government of Alberta to adjust its position as required and as details change moving forward.
The safety and welfare of the bowling community is always our top priority, and the best interests of the athletes, coaches and family members and friends who would be attending the Championship will be our driving concern as we continue to evaluate the prudence of conducting the YBC National Championships as scheduled and under the foreseeable circumstances.
We will provide another update next week and ask that everyone stay tuned for further word on the matter as we take the recommendations and guidelines of Health Canada and other levels of government into our decision making process.
For those who already have arrangements in place for their trip to Calgary, don’t panic just yet;
Rest assured that you can cancel any booked accommodation at our host hotels, without penalty, right up until a few days prior to our scheduled arrival on May 2nd
If you’ve booked flights, both Air Canada and Westjet are already announcing waived rescheduling fees, though currently the conditions are somewhat restrictive (based on when the flight was scheduled for, and when the flight was booked). We expect that the restrictions will loosen up as time, and conditions of the pandemic, move forward.
No doubt you’ve been wondering about the trip to Calgary and the YBC Nationals. We thank you for your patience, and want you to know that while we are dedicated to conducting our cherished YBC Nationals, we will make decisions based on what is in the best interests of the bowling community and of society at large. Stay tuned as we all continue to navigate the unknown.
