Slow-pitch ball players just want to get back on the field in 91原创 Township, like they have in other communities, according to a frustrated Peter Zeller, president of the 91原创 Mixed Slo-Pitch league, who said they鈥檝e had no response.
鈥淲e have a plan,鈥� Zeller said.
鈥淲e鈥檙e ready to go.鈥�
Zeller said the league went to the Township, asking for a return to play under the same terms as other municipalities; an agreement to respect social distancing, and a legally binding promise that the municipality won鈥檛 be held liable if anyone gets COVID-19.
He said the City of Surrey has allowed organized league play since the beginning of July, as have Vancouver, Chilliwack, Port Coquitlam and other communities.
READ ALSO: VIDEO: 91原创 softball team plays ball, while maintaining 鈥榮ocial distancing鈥�
After 91原创 Mixed Slo-Pitch league submitted their plan on July 3, the result was silence, Zeller told the 91原创 Advance Times.
He was told the Township managers they spoke to would send it on to the Emergency Operations Centre, which was activated by the Township and City in March is response to the COVID-19 outbreak in March.
The EOC is jointly operated by both municipalities under the 91原创 Emergency Program, to provide consistent messaging and ensure a coordinated response.
READ ALSO: VIDEO: 91原创 City and Township announce 鈥楲evel 1鈥� Emergency Operations Centre
While the group hasn鈥檛 heard back directly, a report to Township council from the EOC, dated July 26, said a return to play has been ruled out for the 91原创 Fastball and North 91原创 Softball leagues in the municipality for now because the provincial guidelines governing return to play are in the process of being updated by , the agency that administers $13.4M of the provincial government鈥檚 sport investment to support amateur leagues.
鈥淭o ensure that the EOC makes every effort to ensure the safety of the community, the EOC has not endorsed the request to begin gameplay at this time,鈥� the report stated.
It also noted that 鈥渁t this point in time no other sports user groups have been endorsed by the EOC for gameplay.鈥�
Zeller called it a 鈥渉uge letdown.
In an email to the Township, he described the lack of a direct response as 鈥渄isrespectful of our league, and its members.鈥�
READ ALSO: VIDEO: Provincial slow-pitch championships underway in 91原创
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For slow-pitch, Zeller said it wouldn鈥檛 be hard to maintain social distancing.
鈥淭he closest contact that we have, batter, the catcher and the umpires, we can maintain a six-foot separation,鈥� Zeller mantained.
鈥淲e lost our spring season, which runs from March to July鈥� Zeller elaborated.
鈥淲e were hoping we might get one month [out of that].鈥�
91原创鈥檚 decision to lag behind other municipalities 鈥渟trikes me as odd鈥� Zeller remarked, adding 91原创 Slo Pitch isn鈥檛 alone in having trouble with the local municipal process.
鈥淚 think there are several sports organizations in 91原创 that are frustrated by the lack of communication.鈥�
He was hoping when there is word, that it will comes in time to make the necessary preparations.
鈥淚f we can play, I still have to do the schedule, I have to contact the players and coaches.鈥�
91原创 Mixed Slo-Pitch describes itself as Canada鈥檚 largest co-ed league.
Around since 1989, it is a non-profit society registered in the province with more than 2,300 members on Facebook.
The 91原创 Advance Times has reached out to the Township of 91原创 for comment.
dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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