ATHABASCA — Royal Canadian Legions dot the landscape and are a cornerstone in many small communities; a place for the greatest generation to gather to reminisce and regale younger patrons with stories of the past.
As one of the many institutions hit by the pandemic and forced to close their doors, Legions are now looking at reopening and in Athabasca that will take place Saturday, Oct. 3, according to president Brian Scott, in a “soft opening” with a meat draw.
“We are going to be doing our meat draw and hopefully Beat the Deck; our normal stuff on a Saturday afternoon and see how it goes from there,” Scott said. “We’re not going to be doing our Thursday night crib or Friday Pub Stumpers yet, we’ll just try the Saturday afternoon thing.”
Everything is still up in the air as Scott said he is meeting with the health inspector Sept. 29, but he does know for sure if there will be a hand-sanitizing station, but expects there to be physical distancing rules — but bring a mask, just in case.
“I would assume that there would be some sort of distancing in effect, but if you and your husband and daughter come in, for example, you could sit at the same table, but since I'm not in your circle, then I would be expected to sit elsewhere,” Scott said.
Whether the Saturday get-togethers will continue afterwards will all depend on the bottom line, as it is never good business to run something at a deficit, he added.
“It'll depend on the numbers. You know, we have to make sure that it's fiscally responsible to open up and fiscally possible to open up. If it's gonna cost you $300 to open up and you make $50 bucks then obviously that’s deficit financing,” said Scott.
As for Remembrance Day, Scott will find out about that Sept. 29 as well. In the past 500-600 people have crowded into the Fieldhouse at the Athabasca Regional Multiplex, but that is not realistic this year.
“My understanding right now is that we couldn't do what we would normally do at the Multiplex,” he said. “My understanding is the numbers are maximum of 100 and we're looking usually at 500 or 600 people up there. So, that’s something else I’ve got to talk with the health inspector about; what's allowed and what's not allowed.”
There will be poppies however – and the time-honoured tradition of pinning a red felt poppy to your clothes, Scott added, saying he is organizing getting them out to businesses very shortly.
Heather Stocking, TownandCountryToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @HLSox
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