“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”
In this period of "Social Distancing", all of us are concerned about the health and well being of ourselves and those we come in contact with. Shelves are empty, gathering places are closed, and Spain and other countries have even banned cycling for recreational purposes because of the threat to first responders.
The OCA released a statement yesterday (below) recommending clubs cancel or postpone all gatherings for the immediate future. They will monitor the situation biweekly and provide updates.
In accordance with the OCA, we are postponing all club activities until advised it is safe to do otherwise by the OCA.
Please find below an update from the Ontario Cycling Association regarding events and club/team activities during these difficult times. The section in bold specifically relates to Club/Private Team activities. This is also posted on the OCA website.
With the increasing spread of COVID-19, the Ontario Cycling Association continues to be fully supportive of the recommendations made by Cycling Canada.
After speaking with the organizers of upcoming events it has been decided that ALL events in the immediate future will be cancelled/postponed. This will be revisited biweekly and we will communicate further as we have new information from Health and Government Officials.
We are recommending that clubs (including private teams with reported activities), athletes and members postpone or cancel any gatherings such as group rides and in-person group meetings for the immediate future.
This is a rapidly evolving situation that has affected all sectors. We will continue to track the latest developments and meet with our partners to assess the situation and its impact. The health and safety of everyone involved in cycling is our main concern and we are taking all measures within our control.
We hope that everyone remains safe during this trying time and that we all follow the advice of Canadian Health Officials. With the closure of the Mattamy National Cycling Centre our office will be closed to the public and we will be operating with reduced hours.
We will continue to update the situation when more details become available.
Note we will leave our membership registration open for the time being however should further actions be required, we will let everyone know.
Our office staff will be working remote with some on reduced hours. If you have any questions, please be sure to email me and I will try and get back to you ASAP.
I hope everyone is taking the proper precautions, adhering to the advice of medical and government officials, and remaining safe.
