In a statement released Thursday, Dec. 3, the Town of Pelham said that it was "made aware" of a positive COVID-19 result from a user who was in the Meridian Community Centre nine days earlier, on November 24. The individual tested positive on November 30.
"The Town is sharing this information with the community in the interest of health and safety," read the statement.
The Voice has learned that the individual who tested positive lives in Niagara, but not in Pelham.
According to the Town, the individual testing positive used the arena facilities and followed proper safety protocols while in the building, including wearing a mask in all indoor areas, providing contact information for tracing purposes, and staying in the building for their allotted time only.
As a result of this case, the Town said, Niagara Public Health completed an inspection of the facility on December 2, and "commended the Town of Pelham for their health and safety protocols and procedures."
The Town said that Public Health has deemed the situation a low risk for exposure or transmission, requiring no further action by the municipality, and there is no indication that any other visitors or staff were exposed.
“We hope cases of COVID-19 are seen sparingly in our community, but the reality of the pandemic is that will not always be the case,” said Pelham CAO David Cribbs.
“We have followed all health protocols and are pleased to report that our systems are working exactly as they are intended. Our commitment to health and safety inside our buildings ensured this remained a very low-risk case.”
In the wake of groups from GTA red zones booking ice time in Grimsby and Pelham, where COVID restrictions are less onerous, the Town has stopped accepting rentals of arenas or facilities from users outside the Region.
