In light of the news announced on the evening of Friday, May 7, 2021 by the Province of Manitoba tied to the ongoing global pandemic, Basketball Manitoba will be moving all levels of basketball in Manitoba to a complete shutdown of all indoor and outdoor operations (games, practices, training, in-person meetings, etc.) effective Saturday, May 8, 2021. All basketball programming and training occurring on Friday will wrap up by the end of the evening and will end for the duration of these new health orders.
These changes will postpone the planned start of the WMBA 3x3 Outdoor Basketball League that was scheduled to begin on Saturday, May 8 along with all other basketball programs and training currently underway in Manitoba. Casual or pick up basketball at outdoor public courts in Manitoba must also follow these changes under the 5 person maximum under the new health orders.
The sport of basketball in Manitoba will remain in this state, or at "Canada Basketball Return to Basketball - Phase 0", until at least Sunday May 30, 2021 or when the new health orders are updated or changed by Manitoba Public Health.
More details on these changes can be found on the Province of Manitoba website.
SPORT MANITOBA MEMO - MAY 8, 2021
Yesterday, the Province of Manitoba announced new public health orders that will take effect as of 12:01 a.m. on Sunday, May 9 for a period of three weeks:
New restrictions include:
Gyms and fitness centres must close
Indoor sports and recreation are not permitted
Outdoor organized team games are not permitted
The five-person outdoor gathering limit includes coaches and applies to practices in public places.
Please view the official orders here which include specifics around outdoor physical distancing (two metres required even between participants), spectators (not allowed), games (not allowed), and outdoor facilities including golf courses allowed to be open (while enforcing the five-person outdoor gathering limit)
Day camps are not permitted
Effective Monday, May 10, the Sport Manitoba facility will be open Monday - Friday 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. Security will be on site 6 a.m. - 8 p.m., however, there will be no security on weekends. You can access the facility seven days a week from 6 a.m. - 11 p.m., but please remember outside of the operating hours (Monday - Friday 7 a.m. - 7 p.m.) there will be no security and you must enter through the main entrance on Pacific Avenue.
Sport Manitoba facility closures:
Courts, flex space and meeting rooms
Sport Manitoba Fitness Centre
Sport Manitoba Performance Centre
Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame
Areas that remain open:
Sport Manitoba Clinic
Konica Minolta Print Hub
Parkade
The Sport Manitoba Clinic remains open for both in-person and virtual visits for physician and physiotherapy, and in-person appointments for massage therapy, chiropractic, and X-ray.
This article will be updated as further information on these impacts are known.