In Calgary we experience varying weather conditions anytime throughout the year, so there will be days that the weather will affect programs because of the venue conditions or transportation. Special Olympics Calgary puts the safety and well being of athletes and volunteers at the forefront, and because of a variety of circumstances, we may have to cancel programs. Please check here for program updates and cancellations throughout the year.

Program Update 

STATUS

Programs are running unless told otherwise.
                        

What is Special Olympics Calgary's weather policy?

Programs will be cancelled when temperatures exceed the following

Indoor programs: temperature is below -30 degrees (including wind chill)
Outdoor programs: temperature is below -20 degrees or above +30 degrees (including heat index)

Programs may be cancelled due to other factors: road conditions, major snow or icestorm, venue availability, or not enough volunteers to meet the ratio, etc.


When will a decision be made and announced?

The decision to cancel any programs will be made by the Executive Director. Making the decision if a program should run on days with inclement weather is a difficult process as weather can vary in different areas of the city, and change drastically in short periods of time. We know how much our athletes love to play their sports, and volunteers enjoy seeing the athletes, but we have to focus on our members safety, and take many factors into consideration:

- Hourly forecast and temperature for the day/evening from the Weather Network
- Projected rain/snowfall/air quality
- Venue conditions
- Road conditions and travel time
- Previous cancellations for that program


CANCELLATION TIMELINE
Cancellations will be determined and posted as the following:

Weekday programs: By noon the day of the program
Saturday programs: By 4:00pm on the Friday
Sunday programs: By 4:00pm on the Saturday

Please do not call the office to inquire if your program is running or not. This page will be updated as soon as a final decision has been made.

Members should always be prepared for the possibility that they show up to a program and it could be cancelled when they arrive due to not having enough volunteers to run the program safely.

 
What happens if the program is cancelled?

This page will be updated by the stated time above. You will receive an email notification from the office, followed up by a phone call from your head coach or program volunteer advising you of the cancellation. Once you receive the message, please confirm with the party contacting you that you are aware of the cancellation. If we don't hear from all members, someone is required to go to the venue to let members know of the cancellation upon their arrival. If we know all members know it is cancelled, no individual has to risk their safety in the concerned conditions. Thanks for your cooperation.

Please make sure to monitor your emails or phone for any messages. Parents/Caregivers should also be easily reachable by phone by the Program Head Coach in case the program is cancelled right at the start of the program practice.

Please remember to always notify your head coach when you know you will not be at the program. This way, if the program is cancelled and you are out of town or the country, the coach does not have to wait to hear from you.

 
What happens if the program is still running but the conditions are less than ideal?

SOC attempts to make the best decision possible for members. If the program is scheduled to run, individuals may use their own discretion to decide to face the weather or road conditions. If members attend their program, but the weather takes a turn, we ask that coaches use their best judgement when it comes to starting or finishing their game or practice. Please make sure you contact your head coach to let them know if you are not planning to attend your program (weather related or not).

This is a reminder that for the safety of all athletes, parents/guardians/caregivers dropping off participants at a facility must ensure that the facility is open, and a coach or coordinator is present before leaving the athlete at that location.

Final Reminder

If you feel unwell or have the following symptoms: fever, cough or respiratory symptoms such as sore throat or runny nose, or shortness of breath, STAY HOME. An important way to reduce the spread of flu and illness is to keep sick people away from those who are not sick. Therefore, any athlete or volunteer who has flu symptoms should stay home and not come to program.

Some helpful tips to be proactive and reduce the spread of any illnesses is to wash your hands with soap and water often, avoid shaking hands, cover your cough or sneeze, try not to touch your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands, social distance where applicable, and stay home when you are sick. Special Olympics Calgary and Head Coaches have the right to refuse an individual's participation if they are showing signs of being ill.

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