Ping pong is back: Senior centres reopen this week to indoor activities
Residents welcomed the return to indoor activities at senior centres this week as Hamilton began its gradual reopening.
Starting Monday, the Sackville Hill Seniors Recreation Centre on Upper Wentworth Street and Mohawk Road opened to arts, social and sports programs five days a week. Residents 55 years and older can preregister for table tennis, billiards, pickleball, painting and more.
Members can bring coffee and a snack to the lounge for a little catch-up with friends, too. Though staff say people are easing in" to the activities, some members turned up right away.
I really couldn't wait for this," said Angelo Amore, 71, who played snooker at the centre on Thursday.
Sackville opened and closed a few times in the pandemic, closing again in spring. Recreational facilities were allowed to reopen once Hamilton entered Stage 3 on July 16, but the city held off to hold inspections and train staff, said Paul Johnson, director of Hamilton's Emergency Operations Centre in a COVID briefing July 12.
The province requires the centres to perform contact tracing, have a COVID-19 safety plan, limit capacity and take other safety precautions. Masks are required indoors with some exceptions, according to an emailed statement attributed to Chris Herstek, Hamilton's director of recreation. Shared equipment in art and social programs must be disinfected after use.
We're seeing lots of smiles," said Cathy Isowa, recreation supervisor for seniors at the city. Memberships aren't currently being sold, but anyone 55-plus can contact the centre on how they can participate.
Lots of people are coming through the doors just inquiring," she said.
It is better than medication to be able to come," said Gabe Szvoboda, playing table tennis in Sackville's multi-purpose room. Szvoboda lives alone and said he had problems with his leg from not having much activity during the pandemic.
The 72-year-old has been a Sackville member for more than 12 years and returned to the centre the day it reopened.
For Daniel Bowen, 70, the return to the centre again offers a bit of normality."
He played table tennis at Sackville before it shut down in the spring and returned this week. The time in-between was very depressing," he said.
Aside from fitness, players came for the company.
Sudeep Mathew, 57, said it was refreshing" to be back. He and Bowen agreed that the chance to meet other people was a highlight.
It's just great that things are opening up again and everybody's getting back into normal living," Bowen said. Hope it doesn't shut down again."
The Winona Senior Club is also offering snooker, art classes and line dancing to members only. But programming for the summer is already full, said city spokesperson Antonella Giancarlo in an email. The city is planning to reopen more programs and facilities in the coming weeks and months" in line with provincial guidance, she said.
At YWCA Hamilton, plans are underway to reopen indoors at its Active Living Centre 55-plus locations on MacNab Street and Ottawa Street, though the director of operations couldn't say when that would happen.
The hope is to offer space to mingle, play cards, and offer balance and strength activities, said Medora Uppal. The centre has run in-person walking groups throughout the pandemic when the situation allowed. Everything else remains virtual for now.
Information and schedules for the city's senior centres are available on the city's website.
Maria Iqbal is a Hamilton-based reporter at The Spectator covering aging. Reach her via email: miqbal@thespec.com.