I'm writing in response to the page three article in the Jan. 24 Gazette (Council contemplates facility priorities) regarding the statement:
"It also includes an assumption that city facilities are currently at capacity – not under capacity or over subscribed in any way – something city ice users or culture fans might disagree with as they ask for more space in the community."
St. Albert has five indoor ice surfaces of which 100 per cent of the “usable” ice is fully booked on an annual basis … and we want and need more. St Albert Minor Hockey and our membership (parents) purchase an additional 85 hours a week (2,000-plus hours each season) of contract ice outside of St. Albert to supplement our program. Our membership regularly drives to communities like Calahoo, Onaway, River Cree, Gibbons, Legal and Morinville each week to the tune of over $400,000 each season in additional rental ice.
I find it difficult to understand and accept the statement that “city facilities are not over subscribed.” How can this be said when it’s simply not possible to be over subscribed when it comes to ice usage? Minor Hockey annually loses allocated hours of ice in support of other city programs which again forces our membership to look further and further outside of St Albert. If the city is seeking to establish some sort of a wait list to clarify or justify its assumption on facility capacity levels … please add Minor Hockey for an additional 85 hours per week.
Dave Bell, president, St. Albert Minor Hockey Association
