Kincardine Hockey Hub: An innovation and community collaboration

Ending the pandemic means getting vaccines into everyone who wants one —and our community helped make that happen.

Through hard work, community support and innovation a mass vaccination clinic was set up in Kincardine at the Davidson Centre in what was dubbed the “hockey hub.”

Dave Shorey from the Municipal Innovation Council stated that “Bruce and Grey County were leaders in solving the complex logistical challenges of acquiring and distributing vaccines in a timely and efficient way that reduced barriers to access for rural Ontarians. The Davidson Centre served a critical role in the fight against the virus in the region, and this model has been replicated across Canada.”

The Davidson Centre in Kincardine is where community members often gather. It is a space for programs and services that support community wellbeing. During the pandemic, this space has proven more important to community health, and has served residents from across Bruce, Grey, and Huron Counties in the fight against Covid-19.

The Grey-Bruce Health Unit under the leadership of Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Arra, convened partners to develop the Hockey Hub model as a way of solving storage, distribution, and safety challenges with vaccine distribution.

Bruce Power was an early and eager partner, providing critical equipment and personnel to quickly realize the Hockey Hub model. Chapman’s Ice Cream provided expertise in refrigeration to ensure that vaccines were stored at safe temperatures.

Municipal staff Frank Tourloukis, Interim Facility Supervisor and Shane Watson, Fire Prevention Officer and Acting CEMC from the Municipality of Kincardine provided leadership in coordinating the conversion of the Davidson Centre into a Hockey Hub.

“The Hockey Hub is a good example of an innovation that integrates 1475 Concession 5, R.R. 5 l Kincardine ON, N2Z 2X6 l (519) 396-3468 l www.kincardine.ca multiple “types of innovation” requiring the public and private sector to design and implement the solution,” said Dave Shorey, Innovation Officer at the Municipal Innovation Council. “The development and implementation of this Vaccination Hockey Hub model would not been possible without the countless hours of people power and community collaboration that it took to plan, set up the facility, greet and screen people, assist people with parking, enter health information and administer the vaccine itself etc.

On behalf of the Municipality of Kincardine Mayor Glover said that, “This is something our community should be proud of and celebrate. This was a collaboration, collective effort and innovative success! I also want to acknowledge and thank everyone who worked tirelessly to distribute over 25,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to residents from across Bruce, Grey, and Huron Counties.”

The organizations that supported this massive community effort include:

• Bruce Power
• Grey Bruce Public Health
• Chapmans
• Tim Hortons
• Canadian Tire
• Current Electric
• Pollock Electric
• Sweeney Concrete
• Southwest Doors
• Georgian Bay Fire
• Ontario Provincial Police
• Emergency Management Services- paramedics
• Kincardine Fire and Emergency Services
• Kincardine Scottish Pipe Band
• Kincardine Lions
• Kincardine Rotary Club

Sharon Chambers the Chief Administrative Officer for the Municipality of Kincardine said that, “This is such a good story of the community coming together to solve a complex challenge. I want to thank Council and Municipal staff for their support and leadership to make this happen. I also want to thank our residents for volunteering at the Hockey Hub, for sharing their recreation center with other communities, for being patient and following the public health guidelines. It has been a challenging year for everyone.  The innovation and collaboration inspired by personal time, energy and commitment made a difference to community well-being and demonstrates what we can achieve when we work together.”

The last mass vaccination clinic was held this week at the Davidson Centre. Staff and volunteers are working to dismantle the Vaccination Centre and set up for recreation programs. The Davidson Centre will resume programs and services as public health guidelines allow.

It is important to note that if you have not been vaccinated there are still vaccinations happening in the community through mobile clinics, drive thrus etc.. To book an appointment visit the Grey Bruce Health Unit website for times and locations. https://www1.publichealthgreybruce.on.ca/COVID-19/Vaccines/BookVaccine-Appointment