The eight Minor Hockey Associations in Bytown District have heard from many of you about your desire to return to play the game we all love. At the same time, you have shared with us your concerns about only returning when it is safe to do so.
Our first priority is the health and safety of our community, and all our hockey families. We are guided by our public health professionals, who are working hard to keep us safe and to help us to manage this unprecedented outbreak as best we can.
Many of you may have read Hockey Canada’s Letter to All Canadians
https://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/exclusive/return-to-hockey, and HEO’s message to Branch Members about the Return to Hockey model. There’s lots of work going on behind the scenes to plan for the coming season — when it will begin, how it will work, how the game will be played, how to keep the players and team volunteers safe and free from COVID19.
Bytown District is working closely with Hockey Eastern Ontario (our Branch — and one of thirteen Member Branches of Hockey Canada) to discuss and build out scenarios for a Return to Hockey. We in Bytown are fortunate to be represented by Fabio Onesi, President SouthEnd Minor Hockey Association on the HEO House League task team and Ron Ethier, President Ottawa Jr 67s AAA Hockey Club on the HEO competitive task team. Fabio and Ron keep all of our Association Presidents and Bytown District Council up to speed on the latest discussions from Hockey Canada and HEO on Return to Hockey.
We’re not yet in a position to give you specifics on when the season will begin, what pre-, post-, and in-game protocols will be established, and what the 2020-21 season will look like. Each of our eight minor hockey associations are working on various season scenarios, to be ready when called upon.
It’s for this reason that we have decided to coordinate the opening of season registrations across the District. Registration opening will be delayed past the usual dates you have come to expect. All Bytown Minor Hockey Associations will open registration together this year. A likely date for that will be mid-July — so please keep an eye on your home Association’s webpage, and on our competitive Associations if you are looking for tryout registrations. We’ve also decided to ask only a nominal amount upon registration — $50 — and once we know when the season will start, some Associations will offer the option of paying the full balance of your home Association fees, or using instalments to pay them. Please check your home Association’s registration and refund policies. We want you to come back to hockey, and we’re committed to making this as easy as possible for you to do so.
Thanks for your patience and support. Stay healthy!
Krista Outhwaite — Chair, Bytown District
Sherry Massey-Smith — Alternate Chair, Bytown District
Andrew Lajoie — President, Canterbury Hockey Association
David Loehr — President, Ottawa Centre Minor Hockey Association
Lyman Jones — Vice-President Admin, Ottawa East Minor Hockey Association
Fabio Onesi — President, SouthEnd Minor Hockey Association
Ozzie Osman — President, WestEnd Hockey League
Michael Skeggs — President, Ottawa West Golden Knights
Warren Fisher — President, Ottawa Sting Minor Hockey Association
Ron Ethier — President, Ottawa Jr 67s AAA Hockey Club