As you would be aware, the Victorian State Government recently announced that from 22 June 2020 all indoor sport and recreation activities venues may reopen with up to 20 people per space, and up to 10 people per group or activity at any one time.
Squash and Racquetball Victoria (S&RV) has prepared a 'Return to Play Squash and Racquetball in a Covid-19 safe Environment Plan' which is detailed below.
S&RV has the safety of its members as its top priority and has adopted a ‘No Risk’ approach in developing this Plan and supports the message of ‘Get In, Train, Get Out’, and supporting social participation, training, activities within small groups, plus continuing an emphasis on physical distancing, personal and respiratory hygiene.
POST REOPENING OF VENUES ON 22ND JUNE 2020
1.The Cleanliness of your venue/club needs to be a Top Priority. COVID-19 is going to be rife for a long time and it will be front and centre in consumers’ minds. You will need to double your cleaning efforts at the very least and member hygiene needs to be a core prerogative. You must have a hand sanitiser on arrival, wipes for all equipment such as racquets, balls etc., with the entire centre being cleaned multiple times per day. In addition, you will need it professionally cleaned multiple times per week. The first 90 days of reopening will be of paramount importance, and your members and prospective members need to see your centre as a place they can trust. You need to start preparing your centre now for reopening by decluttering it, installing hand sanitiser dispensers, painting it if required, spacing your equipment, and having rules and protocols in place. You should start promoting the cleanliness of your venue as our reopening date of 22nd June has been announced. You need your members passing on to others on how clean your venue is and that you are an operator that is trustworthy. You need to allay the fears your members will have about COVID-19 and these measures will go some way to doing so.
2. Community Atmosphere After this extended period of isolation, people will want to reconnect with their fellow club members, so if you can create a great community atmosphere in your venue, it will be most beneficial to being a successful venue/club again. There will need to be considerations around spacing and numbers, and that needs to be a top priority. Well in advance of your reopening, it is suggested that you make personal contact with all of your current and past members to see how they are going, letting them know when you will be reopening, and what plans you have in place to allay any fears they may have regarding COVID-19. We are entering a new era, the post COVID-19 era, so venue operators who can adapt their business model to reflect the above will be rewarded more than ever. Venue operators who can couple their reopening’s with the most appropriate messaging and build a business centered on trust will likely be successful. There is an enormous amount of hope for our industry and it will be exciting to see it evolve and prosper once again. We ask that you take care in understanding the finer details of these protocols that need to be put in place for your venue. There is a dedicated team at S&RV who are more than willing to answer any queries you might have surrounding this coming out of the COVID-19 shutdown period.
