Hello Lakehill families,
As we roll into mid-June, no doubt many of you are aware that the days of normal ball season are rapidly dwindling. It appears a restart of community and youth sports does indeed appear to be on the horizon, and ViaSport has developed provincial guidelines for individual sports to base their Return to Play plans on.  That work is currently occuring for our sports, but it has become obvious it will not happen before late June. The Lakehill Board has therefore made the following decisions regarding the 2020 season.
Little League Baseball – With the “normal” season typically ending by late June for most players, we are cancelling the 2020 baseball season, similar to other local parks.  Full refunds will be issued as quickly as possible, please have patience while we work through processing these transactions.
Softball – The “normal” softball season extends later into the summer, and Lakehill follows the guidance of Softball BC.  At this point, Softball BC is putting the finishing touches on a plan to get players back on the field in the next few weeks.  We will continue to watch this, and will let families know as soon as we have more information so a decision can be made about participation.  No one will lose their opportunity for a full refund if they choose not to play before play gets underway.
What comes next?
  • We are committed to following the public health guidance of the Provincial Health Officer, WorksafeBC, and the guidelines implemented by relevant sports organizations.  We will not resume play if we can not meet these standards.
  • A survey will be sent to all families to gauge interest in summer or fall baseball and softball opportunities.  It will also seek interest in volunteering.  As a small, volunteer-led organization, the effort needed to meet health and safety standards and get back on the field will be significant.  Without an increase in the number of volunteers, we will not be able to proceed. 
  • Once provincial sport organizations have completed their Return to Play plans and we have surveyed Lakehill families, we will develop a Lakehill-specific plan to get back on the field.  The District of Saanich is not yet issuing park permits, and has not indicated when they will start doing so.  Once we have a plan, we will submit it to Saanich for their approval and permitting.
 
Like you, we are all disappointed that we haven’t been able see our kids on the diamond this spring.  However, we are celebrating the results of our community following the advice of our Provincial Health Officer, and our collective achievement in slowing the spread of Covid-19.  Because of that hard work, we’re now in a place where we can start the careful and thoughtful process of supporting the essential growth and development of our children through team sports.  We sincerely hope you will join us in making that possibility a reality by offering to volunteer in the months ahead.
If you have any questions, please reach out to a board member or email info@lakehillball.com
Thank you,
Lakehill Ball Board
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