Many part-time student workers left during pandemic-related shutdowns.
THUNDER BAY — The City of Thunder Bay is doing its best to recruit new staff for the Canada Games Complex.
But until hiring and training is completed, the complex’s operating hours remain drastically reduced from the normal schedule.
Along with other municipally-operated recreation facilities, the CGC reopened on Jan. 31 when the province relaxed its COVID-19 restrictions.
Since then, instead of opening at its usual time of 5:45 a.m., the doors have been locked weekdays until 4 p.m.
On Saturdays, the complex opens at 8 a.m.
When the CGC reopened two weeks ago, it posted an online message asking users to “be patient as we deal with unknown COVID-19 staffing issues that may arise beyond our control. There may be unforeseen interruptions to programs and services. We will do our best to notify participants as we are able.”
Calli Graham, the city’s acting Supervisor of Aquatics, says the reduced hours are due to a student staffing shortage.
“We did lose a number of front desk staff during the January shutdown,” Graham said.
Most of the part-time staff at the complex are students.
Graham explained that “When the government shuts us down, those students that are in university and college, they want to keep working, so they go get hired elsewhere, in jobs that aren’t shut down. They give us our notice, and we’re scrambling again.”
She said having to find replacement workers has been a pattern throughout the pandemic.
Graham anticipates that the situation will improve in the near future.
“We’re in the middle of interviewing and training new staff. So we’re hoping to open more regular hours next week,” she said.
source tbnewswatch