THUNDER BAY – Potential changes to how ice time is allocated at city arenas have been put on hold, pending further consultation with user groups.
The issue will come back to council by Aug. 22, after Mayor Bill Mauro proposed a two-week delay at a city council meeting Monday, citing serious concerns from users – particularly minor hockey teams – over proposed changes to how groups are prioritized for ice time.
“I don’t know for sure if those [changes] will necessarily lead to something they would find egregious – it may or may not – but that is certainly the concern they have expressed," he said.
Administration initially said the delay would make it impossible to put the changes in place for the coming year.
Sport and community development supervisor Paul Burke explained administration would be unable to process contracts for nearly 300 arena user groups by the end of the month, its usual target.
“We just couldn’t physically make that happen, unfortunately,” he said.
The response drew sharp criticism from Mauro and Coun. Trevor Giertuga, who said administration had “backed [council] into a corner" by bringing recommendations for change with no room for further study – something he noted council frequently asks for.
“It’s just not acceptable to have things done at the last minute like this,” he said. “Someone needs to be responsible for that.”
He pressed staff on whether a two-week delay was really impossible to accommodate, and why the decision hadn’t come to council earlier.
“It would be difficult for groups trying to put their schedule together – their contract also includes their schedule for all of their ice for the season,” Burke responded.
Councillors ultimately decided the additional consultation was worth the delay.
Representatives from the Thunder Bay Minor Hockey Association expressed relief the changes weren't rubber stamped Monday, but declined a formal interview.
A proposal to bump minor hockey to fifth in priority for prime time ice at satellite arenas had raised alarm bells for the group.
Minor hockey is currently second in priority, behind established tournaments and special events.
In a report, administration suggests placing Junior A and B teams, city public skate and sledge times, and Junior B practices before minor hockey.
Staff also proposed adding high school varsity sport and Junior B practices after minor hockey, but before adult hockey in priority.
Mauro said he needed to see more assurances on how minor hockey will be impacted, referring to a new Junior B team expected to play at the Current River Arena.
“You’ve got a new player in the game,” he said. “I'd expect the ice time they need is going to impact on Thunder Bay Minor.”
Two Junior B teams could play at satellite arenas this season, staff reported, “as long as there is minimal impact on minor use.”
One Junior A team could also play at satellite arenas if Fort William Gardens is not available.
Hockey Northwest Ontario and Lakehead University Athletics withdrew requests to present to council Monday. Mauro said he’d informed the groups of his intention to propose the delay for further consultation.
Staff also suggested changes to priority for ice time at the Fort William Gardens during prime time evening hours, adding Junior B teams to the second tier along with the Lakehead University Thunderwolves and Junior A teams, and placing city public skate and sledge times on the fourth tier, ahead of figure skating, adult hockey, and minor hockey.
Staff propose finding more hours for minor hockey by bumping some adult groups whose prime time bookings were grandfathered in after the city set aside early evening hours for minor hockey.
“Over the years, very few of these adult groups have moved to appropriate times or given up their ice time,” the report stated. “This has been raised as a concern by many minor age user groups who have more demand for prime time ice than there is availability.”
Administration also proposed starting adult use time an hour earlier at 9:30 p.m. at four arenas, saying many minor hockey groups look to end their bookings by around then anyway.
Other proposed changes including setting “prime time” weekday ice at 4:30 p.m. to close and increasing the cancellation notice for regular rentals to seven business days from four.
Administration said its recommendations were based in part on meetings with users held last year.
“User groups did not report concerns with the current formulas,” the report states, but some commented on a "perceived lack of transparency in the ice allocation process."
