The City of Vernon is pleased to announce it will play host as a pod city to the BCHL for the remainder of the condensed 2020-21 season.
The BCHL has worked with the office of the B.C. Provincial Health Officer (PHO) to develop an approved Safe Return to Play plan that allows for the return of game play in a safe manner for all involved.
“The City has worked closely with the Vernon Vipers and the BCHL to secure game times at Kal Tire Place with limited impact to current user groups,” said Leah Walker, Manager, Customer Service - Recreation.
The BCHL will be announcing pod teams and a game schedule at a later date, identifying who else will play at Kal Tire Place.
“The Vernon Vipers truly appreciate the work that the City of Vernon and staff did in making this happen for us and the British Columbia Hockey League,” said Todd Miller, Executive Vice President, Vernon Vipers Hockey Club.
The Safe Return to Play plan, approved by the PHO, requires the teams to only play within their “pods” and strictly limits the number of people allowed in the building to those who are essential to make the game happen. This, unfortunately, means that spectators will not be able to be present for these games.
“The City of Vernon is excited to be named a host city for BCHL pod game play,” said Mayor Victor Cumming. “We have missed having the Vernon Vipers on the ice and are excited to see this first step towards a return to play. We know many fans are anxious to get back in their seats to cheer on the team, but we’ll continue to wait patiently until the time comes that we can gather again safely and be among the hometown crowd.”
For updates on the 2020-21 BCHL season, you can visit its website: bchl.ca.
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