Service with Safety Policy (RE: pandemic and endemics)
DICES would like to present its Service with Safety Policy. This policy is being put into practice to ensure that the Denman Island Community Education Society (DICES) continues to provide the best possible service to the community while maintaining the safety and well-being of its staff and volunteers.
DICES accepts that there may be clients and staff who either are not fully or partially vaccinated, and who may actively/passively oppose some or all of the means recommended and or expected by Public Health officials and Government directives.
This policy emphasizes the importance of service delivery during difficult times. Currently the challenges posed by COVID require DICES to balance the provision of programs and services to our entire community while minimizing the spread of COVID through safe and sensitive practices.The following principles guide our decisions and practices in this regard:
- Our principal responsibility to staff and volunteers is to provide them with a safe work environment;
- DICES will continue to explore options necessary to maintain a safe environment for community members participating in its programs and services;
- Provincial directives and guidelines regarding COVID will be followed;
- In special circumstances relating specifically to the “health” of the Denman Island community as regards COVID, DICES may consider options that exceed the provincial wide directives of Public Health officials. Any decisions made will not be taken lightly and would involve collaboration with community members/organizations and other technical advisors as appropriate;
- Regarding its program/service delivery, access to all on Denman is a top priority. Where access or inclusion may be an issue because of COVID, DICES will ensure to the greatest degree possible that satisfactory arrangements can be made to enable ongoing program/ service delivery;
- Due to the changing and evolving circumstances relating to COVID and efforts to minimize the transmission of this disease, DICES will monitor and communicate any changes to the Denman Island community where adjustments to its program/services occur/are required.
Update on the Denman Covered Recreation Space
As you might have heard, there are plans to build a Covered Recreation Space on the concrete pad next to the Denman Island Community Hall.
In the last months, the project has been through a phase of deciding on design and hiring a contractor. Of the different proposals received for the structure, the Covered Recreational Space Committee (CRSC) selected a local company, Tree Island Construction.
The CRSC is now in the process of waiting to receive a final quote and pictures showing the structure in situ to present the project and get DICES and DIRCS approval. Additionally, a number of grant proposals seeking additional funding for the project have been submitted in the last few months and confirmation of grant approvals are still pending.
The Covered Recreation Space is aimed to be a space accessible to the whole community for both scheduled activities and free play and will be used for events and activities. The structure will be designed in a way that will lessen the risk of transmission of COVID-19, by allowing proper air flow. More information on this project, please visit our website https://dices.ca/covered-recreation-space/.
We look forward to sharing more information about the design of the structure and its features as the project progresses. To get in contact with DICES and the Covered Recreation Space Committee please contact Maya Rytz at dices.director@gmail.com or 250 335 2058.
