THUNDER BAY – Play is set to resume at the Fort William Gardens, for the first time since the facility shut its doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic in March.
Thunder Bay’s city council bucked the advice of administration to approve the reopening on Monday night.
General manager of community services Kelly Robertson told councillors that reduced demand for ice time this year didn’t require the opening of the Gardens, a more expensive facility to operate than the city’s satellite rinks.
The opening of the Current River, Delaney, Port Arthur, Grandview, and Neebing arenas had so far proven sufficient to meet demand, which was down by nearly 2,000 hours from last year for the October to December period, a city report stated.
Robertson said it was difficult to estimate the precise cost of reopening the Gardens, but told councillors it would certainly range into the tens of thousands of dollars in 2020 alone.
The city had planned to consult ice user groups through the remainder of November before returning to council with a recommendation on whether to open the Gardens in the New Year.
However, Coun. Albert Aiello proposed opening the facility as soon as practical, anticipating that demand for ice time would soon grow as more hockey teams began their seasons, many delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Hockey for the most part is really just starting, so the demand for ice in the city is really not known yet,” he said. “Overall, I believe there will be additional need for ice time… the demand will definitely increase.”
Coun. Kristen Oliver agreed, saying the reopening could help rescue a hockey season threatened by the pandemic.
“I think the Gardens is going to be an integral part of ensuring we can still see some sort of hockey program in this community,” she said.
Aiello’s motion found healthy support around the council table, with only councillors Mark Bentz, Brian Hamilton, and Rebecca Johnson voting against.
Robertson estimated the Gardens would not be ready to open until at least early December, partially due to staffing challenges in the recreation department. The city is currently filling a vacancy in the Gardens’ lead hand position.
