POLICIES, RULES & REGULATIONS
Documentation
COVID-19
COVID-19 Rules Regarding Reopening the BMO Soccer Centre
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been some changes with respect to booking time in the BMO Soccer Centre:
There will be NO online bookings.
All bookings must go through SNS Operations Manager, Darrell Cormier, at snsoperations@soccerns.ca
For the month of July, the facility is ONLY allowing bookings from its member soccer clubs
The bookings must come through the Club Administration or Technical Directors – no individual team bookings
The booking procedures will be reassessed for August
It is the renter’s responsibility to adhere to the facility regulations and requirements
Failure to adhere to the facility regulations and requirements could affect your existing and/or future bookings
The facility will only be open to the participants who are booked at their specific time
Designated doors for entry and exit must be used
Directional flow of movement when entering and within the building
There is no access allowed on the second floor (upstairs)
No spectators or visitors will be allowed in the building
Prevention recommendations from the Centres for Disease Control:
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
Steps we are taking @ BMO Soccer Center:
- BMOSC has increased our daily staffing for cleaning and are actively cleaning surfaces daily.
- We are providing hand sanitizers within the facility and will be adding wall mounted dispensers as well.
- The preventive recommendations will be communicated to our stakeholders by email and social media.
Our Focus is on your safety.
General
Rules and Regulations
Please Review the BMOSC Facility Protocols After Covid-19 Closure for additional information.
General:
All clients and participants must abide by the official rules & regulations for use of the complex. Be advised that BMOSC staff have the right to refuse entry or remove any patron not abiding by the rules and regulations.
Here are some of the rules & regulations to note:
Only water is permitted at field level (no sports drinks). Water fountains are located in the main lobby and bottled water is available at vending machines on the concourse and field level. No other beverages will be permitted on the field level and dressing rooms.
Only clean shoes that have not been worn outside are permitted on the turf. Indoor soccer shoes or plastic molded cleats will be permitted. No metal or screw-in cleats are allowed. If you need to clean your shoes, please do so prior to going to field level.
No spitting on the field. Players will be ejected from field level if not abiding by this rule.
No food, candy or gum on the field.
Spectators are not allowed on the field, walkway or behind the nets. Parents are allowed to assist their children in the dressing rooms but then must exit the field level and proceed to the concourse.
Chairs are not permitted anywhere on the turf floor. Seating is provided on the concourse level.
Allergy alert: the field is composed of rubber so please alert anyone with latex or other allergies.
Patrons using inappropriate language will be removed from the complex.
Anyone found to be placing graffiti anywhere in or on the building will be subject to long-term dismissal and possible police charges.
Pets are not permitted anywhere in the complex.
Smoking is not permitted anywhere in the complex.
Soccer NS is not responsible for lost or damaged belongings.
Lost and Found Protocols – items not claimed after 30 days will be donated to charity.
Rules & regulations are subject to change without notice.
Start and Finish for Games and Practices:
Each rental is allotted 55 minutes from start to finish (except for longer rentals where a 5 minute before the hour or 1⁄2 hour ending is required).
Game Officials and/or BMOSC Staff must be diligent in starting all games/practices on time.
In the event of stoppage due to an emergency situation, no game is to be allowed to run over any
more than ten (10) minutes past the allotted finish time.
BMOSC Staff will be required to enforce this regulation if the game/practice appears to be running any longer. If the event(s) in question are League Games, the League itself will be required to determine just what future action will be required in consultation with the SNS Operations Manager.
Use of Alcohol in the BMO Soccer Centre Facility:
Current Policy – Alcohol of any kind is not permitted anywhere at any time, in or around the complex except during a BMO Soccer Centre event licensed by the NS Gaming and Alcohol Commission and approved by the SNS Operations Manager.
When a NS Gaming and Alcohol Commission licensed event is using the facility, alcohol may only be consumed in locations approved by the NSGAC license. Rarely, if ever, will this include dressing rooms.
With this policy in place BMOSC Staff are obligated to enforce the policy in every instance. BMOSC Staff not enforcing this policy will be susceptible to suspension and/or dismissal.
Users or visitors to the facility who ignore this policy will be asked to leave immediately. Further action may be taken.
Persons found bringing alcohol of any kind into the facility will be asked to leave immediately.
Continued abuse of this policy will result in term or permanent banning from the facility.
Field Booking Process – Fall/Winter 2020-2021
The BMO Soccer Centre (BMOSC), a division of Soccer Nova Scotia, is prepared to receive booking requests for available hours (Monday to Sunday 6:00 am to midnight) from October 17, 2020* – March 31, 2021. The period for receipt of expressions of interest by non-soccer groups will commence on July 18, 2020* with such requests to be received via email at the SNS Operations Managers Office no later than Aug 10, 2020*.
Booking Requests are initially open to clubs, groups or organizations who expect to book a minimum of 4 consistent hours per week of at least 1/3 field for a minimum of 20 weeks during the entire fall/winter season (October 17, 2020* – March 31, 2021). Shorter term requests will be dealt with after the initial allocation process is completed (September 15*). However, again, emphasis will be placed on requests that wish to book from October 17, 2020* through March 31, 2021. Short term requests for prime time hours during this period probably will find it difficult to be placed.
For distribution of seasonal rentals, the BMO Soccer Centre will offer priority to previous year user groups meeting the above criteria and the BMOSC Field Allocation Policy. Upon receipt of expression of interests, blocks of time per group will be reviewed and allocated accordingly. Non-aligned users (any groups not affiliated with Soccer NS Clubs or Leagues) will be allocated directly by the SNS Operations Manager on or before September 30, 2020*.
For non-aligned users, payment is required prior to first use. Credit card information will be required for processing payment prior to use. For multiple months’ bookings, payment will be processed at the beginning of each month. The BMOSC Credit Authorization Form must be completed by all users prior to booking with the BMO Soccer Centre.
Please review the BMO Soccer Centre Payment and Cancellation Policy on the Soccer Nova Scotia website under the BMO Soccer Centre section (Policies, Rules and Regulations).
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, NO ONLINE BOOKINGS are available at this time, but the BMO Soccer Centre schedule may be viewed online.
The BMO Soccer Centre Schedule may be found on the Soccer Nova Scotia website, www.soccerns.ca.
BMO Soccer Centre
210 Thomas Raddall Drive
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B3S 0J2
Tel (902) 457-2020 Fax (902) 445-0258 E-mail: snsoperations@soccerns.ca www.soccerns.ca
*Dates adjusted for 2020 for expression of interest and allocation due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Payment Policy
Payment for time booked at the BMO Soccer Centre is required prior to first use.
Users with Agreements/Contracts will receive monthly invoices.
Cheque Payments may be made to Soccer Nova Scotia and sent to:
210 Thomas Raddall Drive Halifax, NS
B3S 0J2
Payment for Online Bookings is required at time of booking.
Payment must be made by credit card for Online Bookings.
There are currently NO ONLINE BOOKINGS due to COVID-19
- Prior to booking, a Credit Authorization form must be completed by all users who do not have an existing payment arrangement with the BMO Soccer Centre for facility bookings. The BMOSC Credit Authorization Form may be found under Policies, Rules and Regulations on the Soccer Nova Scotia website (www.soccerns.ca) under the BMO Soccer Centre section.
Cancellation Policy
Client agrees to pay all rental fees and other charges in advance of use as per the payment procedures set forth by the SNS Operations Manager.
Once the facility bookings are confirmed by the SNS Operations Manager, there will be No Cancellations or refund of fees.
Weather related:
If the facility is open, then your booking is not cancelled, and payment will be required regardless of your ability to honor your contract or commitment.
If the facility is closed, the SNS Operations Manager will attempt to reschedule the booked time to the best of their ability in consultation with the renter. In the event that a reschedule is not possible, it will be dealt with on an individual basis by the SNS Operations Manager.
- COVID-19 related:
- If the NS Health Protocols and/or number restrictions change, you are responsible to be flexible in your programming and therefore, responsible for your booked facility time unless the BMO Soccer Centre is forced to close due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Field Allocation Policy
PURPOSE OF POLICY:
The demand for prime time hour rentals exceeds the number of hours available to users. The BMO Soccer Centre has a mandate to ensure the local soccer community has access to prime time use of the facility and other users have access to the facility as well. The Centre must also ensure the facility is fiscally responsible and is operated on a self-sufficient basis.
DEFINITION OF PRIME TIME HOURS:
Prime time is defined as rental time from November 1 to March 31 from 6:00 am to 12:00 am.
DEFINITION OF NON PRIME TIME HOURS:
Any BMOSC hours outside prime time hours including any time between April 1 to October 31.
APPLYING FOR TIME:
Any users wishing to apply for prime time must submit requests by September 1. The BMO Soccer Centre will notify Sports Governing Bodies by mid July of each year of the need to apply. Time will be allocated based on age of users (Youth before 9:00 pm Monday to Friday) and the percentage of time allocated for each group. Any time not used will be allocated to other groups based on percentage allocation if other groups’ requests are not met.
ALLOCATIONS:
Allocations of time will be based on Winter Youth Registration numbers from a combination of the previous two winter seasons. Each club within a region is given a percentage of time allocation based on the number of Winter Youth Registration numbers. Any time not used by a club will become available to the other clubs.
ALLOCATION OF TIME TO OTHER SPORTING GROUPS:
Based on the agreement between HRM and Soccer Nova Scotia, up to 15% of all available time must be offered to other sport users. BMOSC must notify other sporting groups through Sport Nova Scotia of the opportunity of renting time at the Centre by mid July of each year. Interested groups must follow guidelines set by the Allocation policy.
REMAINING TIME:
Any remaining time will be allotted by the SNS Operations Manager as required.
The BMOSC Field Allocation Policy is subject to change upon annual review prior to the start of the annual allocation process.
BMO SOCCER CENTRE
CONTACT US
Phone: (902) 457-2020
Fax: (902) 445-0258
Email: snsoperations@soccerns.ca