Basketball hoops have been removed at courts in Melfort. (Mat Barrett/northeastNOW Staff)

By Mat Barrett

Basketball Hoops

Concerns raised at Melfort council regarding basketball nets being removed, COVID-19 restrictions

May 11, 2021 | 9:42 AM

Concerns were raised at Melfort’s Regular Council Meeting on Monday, May 10 by citizens regarding the basketball nets being taken off the cities courts.

The nets were removed after incidents of games being played when not allowed according to the governments COVID-19 rules on team sports that say “contact must be avoided”. Things like “shooting hoops” are allowed however.

Saskatchewan’s current restrictions for sports in the province. (Saskatchewan.ca)

Kevin Graham and Steven Schmale spoke before council and Schmale said when the nets were first removed, he had a conversation with a City of Melfort staff member and he said while it was a good conversation, he didn’t feel like there would be any changes coming. Schmale said coming before council was a way to “hold council accountable for their actions”.

“It feels like a childish reaction based out of fear,” Schmale told northeastNOW. “And without some facts as to why or what else it is, which wasn’t provided.”

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Kevin Graham (left) and Steven Schmale (right) spoke before Melfort council on Monday night. (Mat Barrett/northeastNOW Staff)

Schmale added that a reaction like this is punishing the masses for the actions of the few. He said that the individuals involved in the incidents probably went back to their homes and “did whatever they did together regardless”.

“We can’t just try and control every aspect of everybody’s lives,” he said. “Like, that’s nonsense.”

Graham also spoke before council and pointed to some statistics that argued more young people are dying due to drugs, suicide, and other factors than they are dying due to COVID-19. He said the lockdowns and restrictions, if continued, will keep affecting those young people.

“I think everyone has the best intentions in mind, they do,” Graham said. “But the trouble is putting more and more restrictions on isn’t always the best thing.”

Councilor Doug Terry said some of the pairs concerns might be more directed to the higher levels of government.

“He’s got a point. You take those down, everybody else suffers,” Terry said. “But it’s not our fault, it’s the fault of the people that won’t follow the rules and we’re obligated to follow the Saskatchewan Health Authorities guidelines.”

Mayor Glenn George said while he understands the concerns of Graham and Schmale, the city made a commitment to follow the rules the government set out for COVID-19.

“I know we don’t make all the right decisions,” George said. “But we make the best decisions that we possibly can.”

George added that the city is “stuck between a rock and a hard place” and things like basketball are hard to police.

For the time being, the nets will remain off of the basketball courts in the city, and will be returned once the Re-Opening Roadmap allows for it. That would likely come as part of Step Two.

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mat.barrett@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @matbarrett6