Code of Conduct

Arena play standards

The following is not permitted on the ice in our arenas:

• Accessing ice during ice resurfacing or while the red beacon is lit
• Children 10 years of age or under unaccompanied by someone 14 years of age or older
• Children six years of age and under without a CSA approved hockey helmet
• Continuing play outside of permit start and end times or during required ice resurfacing
• Food and beverages other than water
• Use of hand held mobile devices

• Each skate time is subject to 10 minutes flood time.

Field play standards

In an effort to help control and alleviate unnecessary and expensive repairs or maintenance to sports fields, the following conditions and criteria will be used to decide whether a field is unplayable:

• Puddles of water can be seen on the surface of the field or diamond
• Water sponging up around your feet on the field or diamond
• Snow on artificial turf fields

If either of these conditions exists, the playing field is considered unplayable and the practice/game will be cancelled and rescheduled. If fields are unplayable, all parties will be contacted and information will be posted online where available.

• If a group arrives at a field and these criteria exist, they are not to play. Reasons for not permitting play include safety of the participants, the possibility of liability through accident or injury, and the unnecessary expense of field/diamond repairs and maintenance.
• Groups using the fields when they are under these conditions will be responsible for the cost of repairs.
• City staff and/or coaches and referees can decide to close sport fields or cancel play to ensure the safety and playability of the fields if weather and/or field conditions change.

In the event of a cancellation, permit holders are responsible to pass any cancellation/closure information along to their participants.

Gym play standards

The following is not permitted in our gymnasiums:

• Exceeding permit start and end times or continuing to play during required facility setup and takedown times
• Food and beverages other than water
• Indoor shoes that mark floor surfaces
• Outside equipment that has not been approved for indoor use

Pools and water play standards

When using any of our pools or water play facilities, please:

• Do not use the pool if you are feeling ill or have experienced diarrhea in the past week
• Follow lifeguard and aquatic staff directions at all times
• Follow Ontario Health Regulation 565 requirements for public pools
• Put swim diapers on children who are not toilet trained
• Walk on the pool deck with clean footwear, not street shoes
• Wear appropriate, clean swimming attire

Supervision requirements for children include:

• Children six years of age and under, regardless of swim ability, must be directly supervised (within arms reach), at all times by a responsible person 14 years of age or older
• Children seven to ten years of age, regardless of swimming ability, must be accompanied in the facility and remain in visual contact by a responsible person 14 years of age or older. They must pass the facility swim test of two uninterrupted widths of the pool before they can swim without direct supervision
• One responsible person 14 years of age or older may assume responsibility for up to two swimmers
• Individuals with serious medical conditions are at a greater risk while swimming and should be accompanied by another individual knowledgeable of their condition who can supervise them

Our warming pool rules include:

• Children under seven years must be directly supervised
• Children seven years and older must meet admission criteria
• We recommend 10 minutes maximum in the warming pool

Children must meet the following criteria to ride waterslides:

• Must be at least seven years of age
• Must successfully complete the facility swim test

Recreational hockey play standards

For all recreational hockey games, you must:

• Keep the game non-contact.
• Wear a Canadian Standards Association (CSA) approved hockey helmet and full equipment
• Wear a chest pad, goalie pads, a CSA approved hockey helmet with cage and have a blocker, trapper and hockey stick if you are a goalie (Goalies play for free, must be in full hockey equipment)

For Adult shinny games are limited to:

• 24 players and two goalies; first come, first served

For shinny 8-12, 13-18, 55+ and Shinny Women's 16+, games are limited to:

• 30 players and four goalies; first come, first served

Skating play standards

For all Sticks & Pucks programs, everyone must wear a CSA approved hockey helmet, even adults. Those 18 and under must have caged helmets.

Supervision requirements for children include:

• Children six years and under must wear a Canadian Standards Association (CSA) approved hockey helmet. Helmets with a face cage are recommended
• Children 10 years and under must be accompanied by someone 14 years or older who must maintain visual contact throughout the skate

Adult skaters are encouraged to:

• Bring a support person if you have a serious medical condition
• Wear a CSA approved hockey helmet

Voluntary acceptance of risk statement

By entering a City facility or participating in any City of Burlington recreation programs or services, the participant, or the legal guardian of the participant, knowingly, freely and voluntarily accepts the risks of injury, death, damage or loss of property as a result of entering the facility or participating in any recreation programs or services. Participants must follow all safety precautions and use appropriate protective equipment as directed by staff or as outlined in program admissions criteria. Participants must comply with all City of Burlington by-laws, policies, and procedures. The City of Burlington may remove a participant from facility and/or terminate participation in any recreation program or service at any time. The City of Burlington is not responsible for any injuries, deaths, damages or loss of property for any reason. The participant or the legal guardian of the participant agrees to fully release the City of Burlington from any claims., howsoever arising.

In addition, the World Health Organization has declared a worldwide pandemic relating to COVID-19. COVID-19 is an extremely contagious respiratory illness and is believed to primarily transmitted through person-to-person contact and through direct contact with respiratory droplets. The City has put in place preventative measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19; however, the City cannot guarantee that participants in City programs will not become infected with COVID-19. Further, attending the City's facilities and participating in City Programs could increase the risk of contracting COVID-19.

The participant, or the legal guardian of a minor participant, acknowledges that entering City's facilities and participating in City Programs carries with it certain inherent risks, both known and unknown, related to COVID-19 transmission which may include, but are not limited to: i) the risk of coming into close contact with individual(s) or objects that may carry COVID-19; ii) the risk of transmitting or contracting COVID-19 directly or indirectly, to or from other individual(s); and iii) injuries and complications ranging in severity from minor to catastrophic, including death, resulting from directly or indirectly from COVID-19 or the treatment thereof (the "“Inherent Risks").”). Further, the participants acknowledge that the risks of COVID-19 are not fully understood, and that contact with, or transmission of, COVID-19 may result in risks including but not limited to loss, personal injury, sickness, death, damage and expense, the exact nature of which are not currently ascertainable, and all of which are to be considered Inherent Risks.

Furthermore, by entering a City facility or participating in any City of Burlington recreational programs or services, the participant, acknowledges, on behalf of themselves, and/or as a legal guardian of the minor registrant, the contagious nature of COVID-19 and the Inherent Risks, and knowingly, freely and voluntarily accepts to assume assumes the Inherent Risks, including the risk that the participant may be exposed to or infected by COVID-19 by attending the City's facilities and participating in City Programs and that such exposure or infection may result in risk of personal injury, illness, permanent disability, and death, or other losses and expenses. The participants covenants not to sue, and agrees to discharge, and hold harmless the City, its directors, officers, employees, volunteers, agents, executors, administrators, successors, assignees and representatives, elected officials of and from the any and all actions, causes of actions, claims, demands for damages, loss or injury, accident or illness, including death, and property loss, in any way related, directly or indirectly, to the risks assumed by the participant when entering the City facility and participating in City of Burlington recreational programs.