The Sunshine Coast Spring Ice Committee is hoping to hear a “yes” from the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) by July.
The group has been lobbying for the ice to stay in place at the Sechelt arena until May 31 every year, starting in 2017. They were scheduled to make a presentation at the SCRD community services committee on May 12, but confusion over a change in the meeting time meant Kate Turner and Brenda Rowe weren’t able to make their presentation directly.
Instead, they met privately with CAO Janette Loveys, who reported on the meeting to the SCRD directors.
Turner told Coast Reporter that based on some estimates from various groups that use the rinks now, they think there’s enough demand to make spring ice viable. Their numbers show about $5,500 in potential weekly revenue next year, growing to $8,500 by 2020.
“If we had the support from the SCRD for spring ice, and them creating more programs, I think those numbers would be higher,” she said. “Powell River does a three-on-three hockey league in the spring that’s hugely successful. That’s run by the [Regional] District of Powell River. I’d love to see the same thing run by the SCRD.”
The Spring Ice Committee sees most of the ice time being used for youth hockey games, team practices and the Sunshine Coast Skating Club.
Turner also said the success of the recent provincial midget hockey championship tournament on the Sunshine Coast could give a boost to public support for a longer ice season because it highlighted the impact, and popularity, of hockey – which is just one part of the whole mix of ice users.
When directors had a chance to discuss the request later, West Howe Sound’s Ian Winn raised the question of how a longer ice season would impact the dry floor users, like lacrosse.
Turner, who has a son who plays lacrosse, said the group has been in touch with dry floor user groups and they believe a compromise is possible, and that down the road a year-round dry floor facility is also something the SCRD should be looking at.
SCRD directors asked staff to come back with a detailed report, and it’s expected the Spring Ice Committee will also be invited back to speak when that report comes forward.
Gibsons director Silas White said the SCRD’s recreation program should be geared to getting more people to use its facilities.
“I like the fact that this group [the Spring Ice Committee] is talking about learning to skate programs and families and the community as a whole,” White said.
For Turner, and the rest of the Spring Ice Committee, a timely decision is critical. “Especially with hockey. If we have a chance of having a spring league on the Coast or any spring programs period, a lot of those hockey tryouts happen in October in the city,” she explained.
