A: YMCA Calgary is actively monitoring and complying with all directives from Alberta Health Services, the Government of Alberta, Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health and other relevant health authorities.

A: The health, safety and protection of our members, participants, staff and volunteers is our first priority. For everyone’s protection, we’ve modified some spaces and amenities. Here are just a few of the safety measures you’ll see when you visit the Y:

• Increased sanitization and disinfection
• Additional hand-sanitizing stations
• Removal of non-essential or difficult-to-clean equipment
• Reduced capacity, by utilizing an appointment-based system for all facility access.
• Plexi-glass barriers at Welcome, Membership and Weight Floor desks
• Health screenings prior to entry through a digital health screening tool
• Directional signage to control the flow of participants in certain areas of the building
• Contactless scan-in stations
• Physical distancing measures (including signage, floor markings and some unavailable or rotating equipment) to maintain maximum distance between users
• Equipment usage time limits
• Removal of lobby furniture
• Staff available to assist you
• YMCA Calgary has also put processes in place to inform members or participants by email or phone of health or COVID case information deemed necessary and important. This is in alignment with our core values of honesty, responsibility, caring and respect.

A: Here are some things you can do to help:

• Stay home if you’re not feeling well
• Visit Health Canada for evolving information about risk factors (including travel to certain locations) and symptoms
• Call your local public health department or 811 for direction if you have symptoms or current risk factors apply to you, or if you have questions
• Wash your hands frequently and avoid touching your face
• Practice cough and sneeze etiquette
• Always wipe equipment down before and after use
• Avoid eating in situations where hand hygiene is more difficult (eg. while working out)
• Please use cashless forms of payment whenever possible.
• Cash will still be accepted at YMCA Calgary
• Be kind to each other

A: We have instituted additional and more frequent cleaning procedures following the guidance of health authorities. These include:

• Increased frequency of high touch points (eg. door handles, elevator buttons, hand railings, light switches, toilet seats, taps)
• Regular and documented sanitization of common area touch points
• Employing hospital-grade disinfectant (Sany+ H202, Oxivir Plus, Vangard)
• Electrostatic spray and fogger technology as additional steps if an area needs specific attention
• Disinfection Kits – to support internal cleaning practices, disinfection kits have been developed and made available to staff at all our facilities

A: YMCA Calgary facilities use centralized 100% capable outside air HVAC units with 13 MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) filtration. A MERV rating ranges from 3 to 14 with 14 being hospital-standard.

A: Chlorinated pool water is an effective disinfectant and the risk of transmission from contact with properly treated pool water is considered minimal. YMCA maintains and tests its pool water regularly.

A: All users will be asked to complete a digital COVID-19 health check through a digital Health Screening Tool prior to entering the facility, which will include a short symptom-related questionnaire. This tool is anonymous and data is not collected or stored. It will help you determine if it is safe for you and those in your party to be in the facility. The screening data is secure and won’t be collected or shared in any way – it’s simply a way for you to know if the timing is right to keep you and others safe as you visit the Y. This will be required upon each facility entry. You can access the Health Screening Tool here: www.ymcacalgary.org/screening

A: To keep you and other safe, and so you have a clear understanding the various risks associating with participating in programs and services, YMCA Calgary is asking you to sign a one-time participation waiver. This is a requirement of entry. You can sign the waiver securely here: www.ymcacalgary.org/waiver It is strongly recommended you complete this waiver process ahead of your visit to save time upon your first re-entry.

A: To ensure we can adhere to capacity standards at all times, all users, including YMCA members, must pre-book an appointment to access YMCA facilities and to use amenities including the weight floors, the swimming pools and other areas that are available for use. This is a temporary measure to ensure we can maintain required physical distancing and also provide an engaging experience for the many people we serve. Appointments can be booked up to 72 hours in advance. www.ymcacalgary.org/appointments/

• Drop-in fitness classes can be booked as usual using Gigasports https://igniter.gigasports.com/home/login/ymcacal/
• Your appointment does NOT include the time it takes to change or access the amenity area.
• You may book a maximum of one appointment per day.*With the exception of Recreational Swim

A: Weight floor, Lane Swim and Recreational swim appointments are 60 minutes. Drop-in fitness classes are 45 minutes and booked using Gigasports

A: Currently only one appointment is available per day.

A: For the safety and protection of our community, all persons must wear a face covering in an indoor public premises. The City of Calgary Bylaw 26M2020

• When eating or drinking at a public premises, like a restaurant.
• When you’re doing physical activity, like in a gym or fitness centre.
• For children under two years of age.
• People with disabilities or underlying medical conditions that affect their ability to wear a face covering.
• If you are unable to place, use or remove a face covering safely without assistance.
• If you are care-giving for or accompanying a person with a disability where wearing a face covering would hinder the accommodation of the person’s disability (for example, ability to lipread).
• For people who have temporarily removed their face covering where doing so is necessary to provide or receive a service (for example, a visit to the dentist).

A: We will have a supply of masks available for purchase in vending machines within our YMCA facilities.

A:Please see any YMCA staff member if you are concerned for the welfare of someone in the facility. Individuals who become symptomatic at the YMCA will be isolated and provided emergency care and transportation.

A: Child development is core to YMCA Calgary’s mission and so children remain welcome in our facilities. However, usable amenities for children accessing the facility independently may be limited depending on guidance from health authorities.

A: Due to health guidance, children’s activity options are more limited during this time and vary by branch. But we are pleased to be able to provide recreational swimming, badminton, basketball or even just open gymnasium space for you to create your own fun. Please remember to bring any equipment with you and follow all hygiene guidelines. You will have exclusive use of the court/gym space for your household (up to a maximum of six people) for one hour. Recreational swim appointments are 60 minutes in a shared training pool, with limited capacity. Gymnasium options for each branch can be viewed when booking your appointment. Access is by appointment, and can be booked up to three days in advance at www.ymcacalgary.org/appointments

A: At this time we will not be offering Child Minding services. Child Minding will resume at a later date once health guidance allows.

A: In compliance with health guidelines, most indoor lounge and seating spaces at YMCA facilities will be temporarily unavailable.

A: Due to health guidance, lost and found items will be collected but must be disposed of each night. Please only bring what you need for your visit.

A:YMCA Calgary is offering Registered Programs for the Fall Session. To learn more visit: https://www.ymcacalgary.org/program-descriptions/

New Facility Operating Hours

Please note: workout areas and pool close 30 minutes prior to facility closure.

A: YMCA considered the pre-closure usage patterns based on data and used them, along with available resources, to set the hours. We will expand hours as soon as possible.

A: In a recent member survey, we heard from seniors that they value accessing the YMCA when there is a variety of people in the facility as it helps create a stronger sense of community. Many also expressed that they like to have flexibility in the hours they can access the Y. In response, YMCA Calgary will not be creating designated seniors-only hours, but ensuring the highest levels of cleanliness throughout the facility during all operational hours.

A: Alberta Health Services has determined that the Wellness Centre (which includes the YMCA) must remain closed until further notice to limit public access to the hospital. South Health Campus Only Members are welcome to use the nearby Brookfield Residential YMCA at Seton up to a maximum of six months until Dec. 31st 2020. No additional action is required to access the nearby Brookfield Residential YMCA.

A: We will be opening our centres according to the directives of local public health authorities. Some facility areas and amenities will have a staggered opening. Currently, the following amenities will be closed or unavailable until further notice or until health guidance changes:

• Climbing walls
• Steam Rooms
• Hot Tubs
• Child Minding
• Theatres
• Arenas (Arenas will be available for rentals ONLY at this time. We hope to offer drop-in programs in the fall)
• Registered Programming
• Water Slides
• Flow Rider
• Youth Rooms
• Family Centres
• Multi-purpose Rooms
• Lobby and Locker Room Lounge Spaces
• Water fountains closed (bottle fillers permitted where possible)
• Personal Care Products
• Towel rentals (towels still available to Membership Extra)
• Newspapers

A:Although health guidance has recently been updated, these amenities remain difficult to manage and clean to ensure the safety of participants, particularly young people. Still, existing physical distancing limitations also mean very few participants would be able to benefit from these amenities during their visit. YMCA is developing plans to re-open these amenities once appropriate protocols are in place or distancing limitations have been relaxed by the health authority.

A: Personal training is now available. To learn more visit: https://www.ymcacalgary.org/personal-training/

Registration is open and bookings can be made up to 72 hours in advance. Login using the same username used for drop-in fitness classes. Bookings can be made up to 72 hours in advance. All changes to the group fitness schedule have been made in compliance with provincial health guidelines. MOSSA, Zumba, Synergy and Aquatic Fitness will NOT be offered in initial stages of opening. We look forward to offering these classes again as soon as we are able.

A: Floor decals will be placed along the edge of the pool to ensure physical distancing in lessons. Younger levels will be parented to help ensure physical distancing is maintained

A: We will be offering both Lane Swim and Recreational Swim.

Lane Swim:

• Shared use of one 25m swim lane for one hour for ages 8+.
• Individuals will be assigned a lane upon arrival
• Swimmers in a lane will be asked to take breaks at opposite ends of the pool.
• Swimmers will swim in a double-wide lane in a circular motion with 4 swimmers per lane. This is to minimize passing and manage swimmer speeds.
• No access to Training Pool, other aquatic areas or weight floor. Session ends at appointed time and is not dependent on arrival time. Maximum of one lane swim appointment per day.

Recreational Swim:

• Shared use of Training Pool for thirty minutes. Each person attending requires an appointment (including children.)
• No access to Lap Pool, other aquatic areas or weight floor. Session ends at appointed time and is not dependent on arrival time. Maximum of one recreational swim appointment per day.

Test, Mark, Protect (coloured wristband water safety system):

• YMCA Calgary’s Test, Mark, Protect system will be active for children ages 0-13 upon re-opening.
• As always, children between the ages 0-7 must stay within arms-reach of a caregiver at all times.
• All children between the ages of 8 and 13 who have access to water that is shoulder depth or higher (based on their booking) will be asked to complete a swimming skills test to confirm that stay safe in the water.
• For more info on the details on YMCA Calgary’s Test, Mark, Protect program inquire at your local YMCA facility.

Aquatic Equipment:

• YMCA will provide access to frequently sanitized lifejackets, flutterboards and aquafit belts. No other pool equipment will be available.
• All users are required to pre-book an appointment here: www.ymcacalgary.org/appointments
  Appointments can be booked up to three days in advance.

A: These activities will be suspended until further notice.

A: These activities will be suspended until further notice.

A: Locker rooms are available for swimmers. Although locker rooms and lockers are also available for other patrons, we strongly encourage you to come dressed in your workout clothing and, where possible, change and shower at home, as recommended within the current provincial guidelines for indoor recreation.

A:Towels will remain available to Membership Extra members. Users are free to bring their own towels onto the weight floor for use during workouts. Towel rentals will not be available for the time being.

A: Water fountains are not available, however bottle fillers (where possible) are available for personal use. Given the limited quantity of bottle fillers at some of our locations, we encourage all facility users to bring filled water bottles with them.

A: Limited spectator seating is now available in all our ice arenas, and the Brookfield Residential YMCA Competition Pool. Spectators are limited to one per participant, and are requested to clean the metal bleacher seating before and after use using the disinfectant wipes provided. All spectators must complete the YMCA Health Screening tool prior to accessing the facilities, and must sit or stand on the red dots provided