MINTO – Ice will be installed in two of the town’s three arenas in time for the beginning of the winter sports season.
However, like the past two seasons, a plan is in place to install ice at the Clifford arena later in the year if demand warrants it.
The ice was installed at the Palmerston arena and ready for use on Sept. 12, explained director of community services Matt Lubbers in a report to Minto council.
“One of our first renters will be Norwell District Secondary School,” Lubbers said at the Sept. 13 council meeting.
“It’s great to see both their Grade 9 and Grade 11 Hockey skills classes back again. Those haven’t run at full capacity the past two years.”
Staff are working towards the installation of ice at the Harriston Arena as early as October and, if warranted, at the Clifford Arena as late as January.
“This course of action is the same as the past two years, is for this season only, and will be re-evaluated on a year-to-year basis,” Lubbers states in the report.
Prior to the 2020-21 ice season, three sheets of ice were traditionally installed at local arenas, beginning in Palmerston in September and Clifford and Harriston in October.
For the 2020-21 and 2021-22 ice seasons, ice was installed at the Palmerston and Harriston facilities only.
“Alternative programming was offered at the Clifford arena as demand for ice did not warrant the installation of a third sheet,” the report explains.
“This was a result of the general decrease in demand for ice time as well as certain COVID-19 restrictions.”
Lubbers notes the current demand for ice time is 100 hours per week, which can be accommodated using two sheets of ice.
He said there are currently no special requirements in place with respect to the COVID-19 pandemic.
For the past two ice seasons, capacity limits in dressing rooms resulted in the attached auditoriums at the Palmerston and Harriston arena being used as dressing areas regularly.
The report states alternative programming will be available from October to December in Clifford.
For the past two seasons staff offered a variety of programming including pickleball, shuffleboard, basketball and ball hockey
A long-term ice installation strategy will be pursued as part of the Master Plan process upon its resumption in 2023, the report states.
“All facilities will remain open, and the town will offer programming for our residents,” Lubbers stressed in the report.
Councillor Ron Elliott asked if most minor hockey games this season would be played from the renovated Palmerston arena, with practices mainly held in the smaller Harriston facility.
“With the new dressing rooms, with the quantity that we’ll have in Palmerston, and the fact that they’re brand new, yes, we are looking at scheduling as many minor hockey games in Palmerston as possible and then using Harrison for practices,” said Lubbers.
Council received the report as information.
