How IS TBGA ADJUSTING IT's PROGRAMMING FOR COVID-19?
Hello Families,
Here is a breakdown summary of all the current protocols put in place for programming for September and October. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at (807) 628-8474 during our office hours, or send us an email to tbgatwisters@tbaytel.net and we will happily answer!
Entering the Facility at the Main Doors
There are 5 Steps to Entering the Facility for every class:
Inside the Gym & Physical Distancing
Personal Items to Bring to Every Class
In addition to being dressed for class underneath outside clothing, all participants are required to bring a small bag where they can keep their personal items such as their mask, socks, water bottle and if they choose to, hand sanitizer. Children 4 and Under are not required to wear a mask as they will be accompanied by an adult wearing a mask.
The Mask is for lobby use only. If a child has to go to the bathroom they will be required to wear their mask as they walk to the lobby bathroom and back to the group. The Socks will be used to bounce on the trampolines. There will be no access to the water fountain at the rear of the gym. Participants are encouraged to put a water bottle in their bag. Bag should be light enough to be carried from event to event with the child.
Cleaning Protocol
Handwashing stations are present at all events across the gym. At each handwashing station there is a camp style washing station, soap, paper towel and hand sanitizer. All children are required to hand wash or sanitize between both their stations and the events.
Stations are cleaned with our disinfectant cleaner if any of the following occurs: a child touches their face and then the mat or a child sneezes/coughs on their station. Otherwise, stations are disinfected at the very end of each groups event providing a fully clean event for the next group.
High Touch Surfaces are cleaned a minimum of 3 times a day with a full deep cleaning completed every night.
All porous surfaces are fogged with Vital Oxide midday and end of day for a deep disinfection that penetrates the fibres.
All cleaning products are safe for gym use. Our disinfectant is the same virucide and disinfectant we have used for over 5 years in our facility, Enviro Solutions 64 Neutral Disinfectant. Vital Oxide is a product frequently used in hospitals and schools across North America for sanitizing soft surfaces. Both cleaning products have been authorized by Health Canada for use against Coronavirus.
Washrooms
There are two washrooms located in the lobby. The first washroom closest to the entrance will be used primarily for washing hands and as a baby change station only. The second washroom will be utilized as a washroom for all participants. There is only one toilet, so please only 1 at a time in the washroom. Please wait 6 feet away from the door until the washroom is free. Front desk staff will try their best to ensure that the washroom is cleaned between every use.
Spectating
As we have a very small lobby the following protocols have been put into place to ensure everyone can have a safe experience.
Pick up at the Main Doors
If participating in the program
Wellness Protocol
At TBGA, we take your safety seriously. If your child, yourself or any of your immediate household family members experience any of the following symptoms that cannot be explained by a pre-existing condition such as allergies, please do NOT attend class and call the gym immediately:
Additional Programming Available
Here is a breakdown summary of all the current protocols put in place for programming for September and October. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at (807) 628-8474 during our office hours, or send us an email to tbgatwisters@tbaytel.net and we will happily answer!
Entering the Facility at the Main Doors
There are 5 Steps to Entering the Facility for every class:
- Line Up
Please line up at the Main Doors under the Entrance/Drop Off Line. Please maintain a 6 ft distance between other families as indicated with pylons. - Daily Temperature and Symptom Check
For Contact Tracing Purposes, all individuals entering the building will be required to have their temperature checked and symptoms recorded. It is for this reason that all doors for the building will be locked at all times with a staff member opening the door for temperature checks, 5 to 10 minutes before each class. If any symptoms are present, please see the Wellness Protocol below for more information. If you are wishing to enter the facility outside of class time but during office hours, please call the office at (807)628-8474 and we will let you in.
NOTE: The Thunder Bay District Health Unit encourages the following: if your child does not require assistance for check in, please line up with them to wait and then allow them to enter the facility on their own. This is recommended for children ages 6+. However, if they require some assistance and you are not staying to watch you have up to 10 minutes to provide assistance before leaving the facility. - Coats & Shoes/Boots
Each group will have their own coat and boot cabinet available at the front entrance. Please place coat and boots in separate cabinets. There are 6 participants per group. 1 cabinet per person. For preschool families there are two hooks to place the little one’s jacket as well. Please be sure to take your personal items bag (see more information below) into the gym with you as the cabinet will be moved to the exit. - Required Handwashing
Once Jackets and Boots are put away, all participants are required to visit the first washroom to wash their hands. - Following the lines
Lines have been placed on the floor to ensure that each group is entering through the correct gym door. A sign is placed at the jacket and shoe cabinet to remind people which line to follow. Monday to Friday and Saturday PM: everyone follows the purple line. On Saturdays AM Preschool Programs (Rolli Polli, Tumble Bugs, Busy Bees and Kindergym follow the purple line) and all other Recreational Saturday AM Programming follows the Green Line. Reminders will be given at Check in as well. - Assisted Drop off
If you are entering to provide assistance before dropping off your child, as soon as the change over occurs from parent to coach please follow the arrows to the exit help us maintaining safe numbers in our lobby. Loitering or viewing without pre-booking Spectator seats is not permitted at this time.
Inside the Gym & Physical Distancing
- Rotation Stations
Every event (Warm-up, Floor, Trampoline, Bars and Vault) is divided into 6 stations, all of which are 6 feet apart. With the exception of warm-up where individuals will pick and stay in their spot throughout the duration of warm-up, participants will be assigned their starting stations for the event and will be informed when they can rotate to the next station. Free Play and running circuits will not be available at this time to ensure physical distancing. Participants will visit each station staying at their station for a set period of time before switching. Depending on the instructions from your coach participants may visit all 6 stations or 3 the first week and 3 the second week. Stations will remain the same for 2 weeks to both allow for mastery and to allow groups to visit all stations. Stations will change bi-weekly. - Masks
All Staff will wear masks. All adults/caregivers in the gym will be required to wear a mask. All participants over the age of 4 are required to bring masks for travelling in the lobby and to the bathrooms. Children are discouraged from wearing masks in the gym as they can impair vision during skills; however, if families feel more comfortable sending their child with a mask we will support that. No gloves are allowed for any participants as this presents a safety hazard. - Spotting
Currently the government of Ontario does permit the use of spotting to help teach a skill and for safety. If you would prefer that your child is not spotted, please inform our staff ahead of time and they will accommodate accordingly. All staff will wash their hands before/after they spot every child.
Personal Items to Bring to Every Class
In addition to being dressed for class underneath outside clothing, all participants are required to bring a small bag where they can keep their personal items such as their mask, socks, water bottle and if they choose to, hand sanitizer. Children 4 and Under are not required to wear a mask as they will be accompanied by an adult wearing a mask.
The Mask is for lobby use only. If a child has to go to the bathroom they will be required to wear their mask as they walk to the lobby bathroom and back to the group. The Socks will be used to bounce on the trampolines. There will be no access to the water fountain at the rear of the gym. Participants are encouraged to put a water bottle in their bag. Bag should be light enough to be carried from event to event with the child.
Cleaning Protocol
Handwashing stations are present at all events across the gym. At each handwashing station there is a camp style washing station, soap, paper towel and hand sanitizer. All children are required to hand wash or sanitize between both their stations and the events.
Stations are cleaned with our disinfectant cleaner if any of the following occurs: a child touches their face and then the mat or a child sneezes/coughs on their station. Otherwise, stations are disinfected at the very end of each groups event providing a fully clean event for the next group.
High Touch Surfaces are cleaned a minimum of 3 times a day with a full deep cleaning completed every night.
All porous surfaces are fogged with Vital Oxide midday and end of day for a deep disinfection that penetrates the fibres.
All cleaning products are safe for gym use. Our disinfectant is the same virucide and disinfectant we have used for over 5 years in our facility, Enviro Solutions 64 Neutral Disinfectant. Vital Oxide is a product frequently used in hospitals and schools across North America for sanitizing soft surfaces. Both cleaning products have been authorized by Health Canada for use against Coronavirus.
Washrooms
There are two washrooms located in the lobby. The first washroom closest to the entrance will be used primarily for washing hands and as a baby change station only. The second washroom will be utilized as a washroom for all participants. There is only one toilet, so please only 1 at a time in the washroom. Please wait 6 feet away from the door until the washroom is free. Front desk staff will try their best to ensure that the washroom is cleaned between every use.
Spectating
As we have a very small lobby the following protocols have been put into place to ensure everyone can have a safe experience.
- No Additional Guests
Only 1 adult (if necessary or required for the program) can enter the facility with child. - Limited Spectating in the Lobby
Only 8 spectating spaces are available in the lobby. Please call ahead of time at (807)628-8474 during our office hours to reserve one of the 8 spots. You can only reserve 1 week in advance. It is first come first serve. - View from the comfort of your car/home
We have installed security cameras within our facility. Join our LiveStream Membership! CLICK HERE!
Please Note: For safety reasons, anyone who is viewing outside of their child’s class time will be automatically booted off. If they are found viewing beyond their timeslot more than twice they will be banned.
Pick up at the Main Doors
If participating in the program
- Your instructor will guide you to your coat rack (it will have been moved closer to the exit to prevent crossing paths with other groups).
- One at a time, participants will collect their belongings.
- If from a pre-school family, families will leave out of the exit. If over the age of 5, the instructor will guide them to the pick up line and release them one by one to their caregiver.
- Please follow the arrows to your coat rack to meet up with your child. Collect your belongings and exit the building.
- Please line up in the Pick Up Line on time, 6 ft. apart as indicated by the pylons.
- Participants will be let out by their instructor one-by-one to ensure each participant exits the building safely with the correct caregiver.
PLEASE NOTE: We will not be allowing children to enter the parking lot to meet their family at their vehicle. Please line up at the door.
Wellness Protocol
At TBGA, we take your safety seriously. If your child, yourself or any of your immediate household family members experience any of the following symptoms that cannot be explained by a pre-existing condition such as allergies, please do NOT attend class and call the gym immediately:
- new or worsening cough
- shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- temperature equal to or over 38°C
- feeling feverish
- chills
- fatigue or weakness
- muscle or body aches
- new loss of smell or taste
- headache
- gastrointestinal symptoms (abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting)
- feeling very unwell
Additional Programming Available
- Drop ins
All drop in registrations have to be completed online. Only 10 spots available per class. We will no longer accept registrations in person at the start of class. - Birthday Parties
Birthday Parties are now only 1 hour long and limited to 6 individuals. Only 2 spectators are allowed (preferably the family of the birthday child). 1 hour includes gym time only with an instructor. Party Room is not available at this time.
Price: $100; Times: 1:00-2:00; 2:30-3:30; 4:00-5:00 - Homeschool Groups
TBGA is happy to work with homeschool groups of no greater than 10 to provide afternoon gymnastics programming for your group/family. Please contact us at tbgatwisters@tbaytel.net for more information. - Private Lessons
Private Lessons are now available. Please email the office at (807)628-8474 to arrange a time.