Grey Highlands council will consider the possibility of reducing the number of ice surfaces in the municipality.
At its meeting on Aug. 16, council re-affirmed an earlier decision made in committee of the whole to examine the option of reducing the number of ice surfaces it maintains.
The issue again divided council and narrowly passed in a 4-3 recorded vote with Deputy Mayor Dane Nielsen and councillors Paul Allen, Nadia Dubyk and Joel Loughead voting in favour.
The decision came the day after council held a town hall meeting in Rocklyn at which a number of local residents implored council to ensure local arenas continued to operate.
During the course of the debate, Coun. Tom Allwood proposed that the resolution be changed from: “that council provide direction to staff to consider reducing the number of ice surfaces in Grey Highlands” to a motion to direct staff to continue to maintain the existing four ice surfaces in Grey Highlands.
Allwood said the municipality needs to be “innovative” in its approach to maintaining local ice surfaces and he said it was time for the municipality to engage the volunteer community in the operation of the facilities.
“Hearing from our ratepayers, that level of service is what they’d like to see continue in their communities,” said Allwood.
Allwood’s proposed resolution was defeated by council in favour of the original wording. Other members of council said the resolution was all about seeing what options are available.
“It is not a financial conversation,” said Deputy Mayor Dane Nielsen. “It’s about: what level and type of recreation is Grey Highlands willing to provide its residents? Grey Highlands is capable of providing more than just ice in its buildings. We can provide a multitude of other sports.”
Coun. Paul Allen said it was important to see all the options and possibilities.
“We need to look at the possibilities of reducing the numbers, but also look at how to maintain them,” he said.
Nielsen also sought to soothe fears in the community that the resolution meant arenas would be closing in the near future.
“In this consideration, it should be noted that it’s not going to suddenly happen. All of our ice surfaces will be open and operating. The premise is to have a conversation about alternative uses of arenas,” said Nielsen, adding that the resolution meant staff could bring back business cases, scenarios and options for council to consider.
Local resident Reid Dennison attended the meeting and during the open forum portion of the meeting encouraged council to pass the resolution.
“We are told by some councillors that - quote 'nobody wants to close down any ice surfaces, period.' I’m going to try and represent the nobodies,” said Dennison. “The nobodies that would like an indoor space in the winter for sports and recreation needing a big space without ice. The nobody moms who want to enrol their kids in indoor soccer, because they don’t feel hockey is safe or affordable. The many senior nobodies who would dearly love a safe, weather-protected space for walking in the cold months. And last, but not least, all the nobodies who wonder why their taxes should support four, count-em, four cash-chewing, carbon-spewing under-used ice sheets in a municipality barely over ten thousand souls.”
After the resolution concerning indoor ice surfaces passed, council passed a second resolution to also take a look at the number of outdoor ice rinks the municipality supports during the winter months.
