Suspending skating over coronavirus concerns has left many feeling blindsided.
State health officials are prohibiting indoor ice rinks and ice skating facilities from operating until Nov. 7, they announced late Thursday night. That edict has caught both youth hockey and figure skaters by surprise.
“We’re getting our butts kicked,” said Robert Walker, owner of the Apex Entertainment in Marlboro, located adjacent to a hockey rink. “We just lost two weekends and we were fully booked with people coming for hockey tournaments.”
The state Department of Public Health, and not Gov. Charlie Baker, made the announcement citing a rise in “COVID-19 clusters occurring at rinks throughout the state following games, practices and tournaments.”
It also hits as the state COVID-19 count continues to climb, with 968 coronavirus cases reported Friday — the highest number since May. The state has logged 144,895 cases, with at least 122,856 having recovered.
The two-week stoppage of all hockey comes at a bad time as youth teams hit the ice, Massachusetts Hockey said in a statement. But, the group added, “compliance with the guidance has not been followed” forcing the state-mandated suspension.
“Unfortunately, unless we are able to correct these issues, we would anticipate any further shutdown could be significantly longer than the current two weeks,” Mass Hockey added. “This is related to both the guidance issued as well as cooperation with the contact tracing process.”
The organization’s executive team added: “For better or worse the hockey community is viewed as one collective group and, unfortunately, the actions of a few can impact the season for the 50,000 Massachusetts players and coaches.”
New Hampshire, meanwhile, will allow skaters at its indoor rinks on Oct. 30.
Walker, who said he employs up to 2,000 people at his Apex site, said the shutdown will hurt his two hotels, two restaurants and the entertainment complex where kids could come to play while not on the ice.
“We’ve been struggling during the pandemic,” he told the Herald. “I understand the virus is bad, but no one is considering the collateral damage from a business and psychological point of view.”
He now faces losing food and supplies he ordered up to accommodate the hockey crowd. He also worries about the ban on games being extended.
Meanwhile, a state figure skating group has started an online petition calling for the ban to be lifted for their sport.
“Unlike what I have seen at my rink of business from hockey players and coaches, the figure skaters and their coaches have adhered to the regulations,” the petition states, in part. ”
We figure skating coaches are extremely invested in the safety of our athletes, our facilities, and most of all our families. LET THE FIGURE SKATERS SKATE.”
