Dear JSCA Members; I hope this letter finds you and your loved ones safe and healthy during these difficult and daunting times. We are facing truly extraordinary circumstances as a city, country, and global community. I marvel at the measures we see being taken worldwide in an attempt to contend with and curtail the international outbreak of Covid-19. I can think of no comparable episode that comes close in my five decades of lived experience. I’m writing, today, to share with all of you an important decision the JSCA Board Executive was required to make this week. As of 1700H April 3, 2020, we have elected to close our facility and compound to all traffic, both member and public, until further notice. There will be no admittance into either the yard or building. We will inform our membership as soon as we feel it is safe and appropriate to resume operations. This decision was not made lightly. And we understand how it may pose inconvenience, frustration, and disappointment for our members. But in light of current medical updates, and in following the good lead of comparable organizations, we felt it was the most responsible and civically-minded measure we could take as a recreational society boasting some 3,000+ members. All Vancouver Community Centres have now closed their doors and during this crisis the JSCA is obligated to pursue health and safety policies that mirror Vancouver Park Board and City mandates. We have also listened closely to the advice and key messaging of federal, provincial, medical, and emergency response authorities and understand that the best possible course of action for all Vancouverites, at this time, is to exercise social-distancing and to remain at home whenever at all practicable. Given our longstanding relationship with all branches of Vancouver’s Emergency Response network, and our own visible role as Jericho Rescue, we feel it is essential for us to support the medical and emergency response community in this emergency health campaign. We also have Jericho members who are medical professionals; they are encouraging us to do the same. Again, I want to reiterate my deepest regrets for having to take this action. But our collective good conscience really cannot allow us to do otherwise. We are all hoping for a speedy end to this current crisis. And we optimistically look forward to the possibility that we may be back out on the water before the end of this Spring. Until then, please be safe, be healthy, and take care. Yours respectfully, Chris Stairs Board ChairJericho Sailing Centre Association Ammended Notice – Craft removal opportunities April 4th and 5th We have received a tremendous amount of feedback, most of it supportive, from JSCA members regarding the decision to close the Jericho Sailing Centre to deter the spread of Covid-19. However, we have been made aware that people should have been given more of an opportunity to remove their craft for storage elsewhere. For this we apologize and offer this solution. We will have staff onsite this weekend April 4 & 5 between 1100H-1500H to allow members to access their craft and locker equipment for removal. We ask that everyone strictly adhere to the Covid-19 public health guidelines for the safety of all. The 2019 membership key will still open the front entrance gate for any member who would like to remove their craft for storage elsewhere. If you need to make some other arrangement please contact me via return email. We thank you for your patience and understanding during this public health crisis. We look forward to seeing everyone on the water again as soon as we have left this in our wake. Fair winds, Mike Cotter, General ManagerJericho Sailing Centre Association mike@jsca.bc.ca
