Ice is expected to be installed at the Gibsons arena in August, even though it could result in a small deficit.
Directors unanimously voted in favour of August ice at a May 23 corporate and administrative services committee meeting.
“Certainty will make a big difference for this group, so I would totally be in favour of this recommendation,” said Sechelt director Darnelda Siegers prior to the vote, speaking in reference to a recent ice allocation meeting she had attended with user groups.
Directors have been mulling changes to ice allocation at the Sunshine Coast’s two arenas since November, and in February voted on recommendations to keep ice installed at the Sechelt arena until the end of April and consider the August installation.
August ice is expected to cost between $7,600 and $8,500 due to a gap between money earned from rentals and the cost of the ice, and while board policy indicates that ice should not be installed if it runs up a deficit, the gap is “relatively minor in the scheme of 2019 recreation operating budget [of $7.7 million],” according to a staff recommendation.
The May 23 staff report also noted that the 2019 allocation process for August ice happened with “relatively short notice” and staff and user groups will keep looking for rental opportunities to make up the difference. The funding gap is also expected to “shrink over time as groups build programs, have advertising lead time, etc.”
The Sunshine Coast Skate Club and Sunshine Coast Minor Hockey Association also offered to reach out to the Powell River skating community to promote August ice, as well as to work with adult users to schedule activities.
During the meeting, Roberts Creek director Andreas Tize asked about the cost of installing ice in August, when water restrictions will likely be in place.
Planning and community development general manager Ian Hall said staff are preparing a plan to install ice using water from outside the Chapman system if water restrictions are in effect, but the arena is efficient enough to operate during water restrictions.
“As for the cost associated with that extra step of sourcing water from outside the Chapman system, staff don’t have a figure for that because it hasn’t been done before,” Hall said, adding that the Town of Gibsons and private individuals and organizations have offered support and the SCRD “would look to those opportunities to reduce costs associated with that.”
Gibsons director Bill Beamish said he expected Zone 1 or 2 water in Gibsons, which draws off the aquifer, would be made available.
Mark Hiltz, director for West Howe Sound, thanked staff and said he was “totally in support” of August ice. He asked whether the SCRD now has a “competitive advantage” since it offers summer ice and how they would promote it to other areas.
Hall responded that SCRD staff take on promotion responsibilities but that there is also “coordination and cooperation with user groups.”
