NOTICE COVID 19 UPDATE ACC VANCOUVER
May 17, 2020 7:00pm
Hello ACC Vancouver Section members and the public,
New info Included below:
- Our National office held a meeting May 15th. We don’t have the announcements yet. As soon as we have them they will be posted here. (Hoping Tuesday May 19th. Relaxation of some restrictions due to COVID will be addressed Details of how the ACC Vancouver will start to open up will be posted here and an email will be sent out to all our members.
- No changes to ACC Vancouver Sections Huts or National Huts, updates as soon as we have them. Check back and read info below on huts.
- All overnight camping and gatherings are prohibited at BC rec sites until June 1, 2020 details are HERE.
- Information on BC Parks closures due to Covid-19, HERE.
- Virtual Social April 28th, 2020 was well attended. We are working on a potential May Social and will keep members informed here on the website. Check back.
- National GMC cancelled for this year and will be carried over to next year. If you were a participant, our National office would have sent you an options email. If you did not receive it, please reach out to the National office yourself.
- Elizabeth Parker Section Trip info – The National Office will be deciding if their huts will be open for use in the next 2-3 weeks. Members who were drawn for the lottery will be notified what is going on as soon as we hear.
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Anyone wanting to post or host virtual trip/info sessions please reach out for logistical information on how to do this to Max Thompson. Maxthompson2@gmail.com or Anna Milino, Section Chair anna.milino@accvancouver.ca
ACC VANCOUVER:
Huts and Activities
– Haberl and Tantalus Huts remain closed. Hut operations/bookings will be reassessed May 20th and direction taken from the Provincial Health Officer and our National office. Please check back after May 20th.
All refunds until the end of May have been completed. For confirmed June bookings you will be contacted after May 20th regarding if they will be cancelled and you will be fully refunded. Please consider donating part or all of your refund to help facilitate the reopening of the Huts as funds will be very low.
Inquiry emails will be directed to the website accvancouver.ca for all updates as to when reopening/bookings will resume and the emails will not be kept. See the website for updates.
– Trips and Courses are on hold until May 15th at which time we will relook at the situation and make decisions on how to move forward based on PHO, BC Parks and our National office.
NEWS FROM OUR ACC NATIONAL OFFICE:
Huts and Activities
As of April 6, the ACC National Canmore office phone lines will be open from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, everyday with reduced staff. For membership inquiries – e-mail officemanager@alpineclubofcanada.ca.
As of March 17, the ACC has suspended all of its National facilities operations, including National hut bookings, hut overnights and hut maintenance, until June 13, 2020. No new bookings are taking place.
National hut bookings have been cancelled until June 13. All booked parties are being contacted for issuing credits and refunds as outlined below. All ACC backcountry huts will be locked during this suspension of operations. Travel in the backcountry at this time is not recommended.
All booked parties will be receiving an email (please do not call the office) from the ACC National office and will be offered a choice between two options for cancellation:
- Our standard cancellation policy allows for a refund of 80% of the hut booking.
- 100% CREDIT. We are offering a credit for 100% of the booking which can be redeemed for future hut bookings at any National ACC facility and will be valid for two years from the original expected date of travel.
The Canmore Clubhouse properties (Clubhouse, Bell Cabin, Boswell Cabin) will remain closed until June 13, 2020. We are asking our guests with reservations to not call the hostel at this time, and to wait for our staff to reach out to you. There will be no cancellation fees for guests with bookings.
We are asking our guests to refer to the National website, and National ACC social media channels, for updates regarding the resumption of National hut booking services.
– Section Forum in May – will be hosted through a virtual forum. Details are being worked out.
OTHER INFORMATION
On April 22, 2020 our National office distributed their “Dispatch” newsletter with links to some interesting reading materials. Check it out by going to https://www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/web/
Some free links to stay connected:
- Our ACCVI Section’s Island Bushwhacker Annual 2019 is now online on the ACCVI website. This extensive edition in full colour should provide plenty of visual appeal and interesting reading.
The link to the journal is here:
http://accvi.ca/wp-content/bushwhacker/accvi_iba_2019.pdf - The BANFF MOUNTAIN FILM FESTIVAL has released some free films, HERE.
- The ACC Squamish Section is providing a free mountaineering e-Learning series, HERE.
