Editor:
I have noted a number of letters to the editor, including an editorial that have appeared over the last few weeks in relation to the extraction of ice from the Sechelt arena. I want to ensure that our community is aware of why this decision was made by the SCRD Board.
The SCRD has a policy that ice beyond our core season (September through to the end of March) is only provided when the demand for ice rentals provides sufficient revenue to cover the costs of running the facility for ice operations.
In order to assess the need for ice, the SCRD surveyed all user groups to see what the total need for ice was going to be past March. The SCRD received one request from a group in February, totalling 18 hours and 45 minutes of ice time per week, which unfortunately does not go anywhere near recovering the cost of running the ice function of the facility, which stands at nearly seven and a half thousand dollars a week.
The SCRD Board understands the frustration that some may feel about this but wants to make it clear that the SCRD does not support clubs or associations planning programming until ice time has been confirmed. All user groups are well aware of this policy and planning approach.
If the policy needs to be revisited then as a Board we are open to considering doing so. The policy was last reviewed in 2019, when it was affirmed. As it stands, if the demand exists then the ice stays open, if there is not enough demand then the fiscally responsible route is to extract the ice until the next season.
Lori Pratt,
Chair & Director Area B (Halfmoon Bay),
Sunshine Coast Regional District
