A new lane system and rules around social distancing on and off the ice are key components to the return to play for Nanaimo curlers. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Dan Marshall

Ice Innovations

New rules and innovations highlight return to play at Nanaimo Curling Club

Nov 5, 2020 | 7:15 PM

NANAIMO — It’s about one month later than usual but the local curling season is now underway.

The Nanaimo club was one of the first to establish return to play guidelines, including a laneway system to allow getting around the ice in a physically distanced way.

Club president Brian McRory isn’t sure Nanaimo is the only ice with a laneway system but he said it’s something he’s never seen before.

“The fewer ice sheets naturally gave us some laneways to use and the on ice arrows just help to keep the flow down in each of those those lanes.”

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Other clubs around the province have adopted Nanaimo’s strategy which reduced their capacity from eight rinks to six.

Club general manager Andrea Trepanier said the process of learning new protocols is ongoing.

“Within your own team it can be difficult maintaining social distancing. Especially when you want to consult your teammates on shots. Only one sweeper is also strange.”

Nanaimo also instituted a rule about wearing a mask on the ice, which met some push back initially but Trepanier said most people did buy in.

“As we were waiting for direction our board made the decision, with safety being our number one priority. Some people did not return to curling because of it.”

A recent exposure at a curling club in New Westminster vindicated Nanaimo’s stance on masks according to Trepanier.

Those on ice guidelines won’t be the biggest change to this curling season according to McRory.

“The difference for most people is the socialization can’t be what it normally would be. Curling is a social game. You’re social on the ice, and if you’re in an evening league you usually sit with the other team afterwards in the lounge.”

With the locker rooms closed the players have to arrive just before game time and go to a designated place to change shoes.

When the draws are done the lounge is open in the afternoon and evening but the tables are more spaced out and limited to groups of four.

The Nanaimo Curling Club has split their season into two sessions to allow people who were uncertain about a fall return to sign up in January.

Registration numbers are lower than usual but the club is optimistic that more of their members will return to the ice in the new year.

dan@nanaimonewsnow.com

On twitter: @danmarshall77