The plan to adopt a new ice allocation policy for the Sundre Arena in an effort to reduce the amount of lost revenue caused by last-minute cancellations remains in limbo.
Despite a lengthy, more than two-hour discussion during council's Aug. 29 meeting that included public addresses from members and representatives of the Sundre Minor Hockey Association, presentations from Town of Sundre administrative staff as well as comments from members of council, little to no headway was made.
The issue stems back to the June 20 meeting before the summer break. Community services manager Ian James had brought to council's attention the amount of revenue lost to the town last season as a result of ice booking cancellations.
“Our current ice allocation policy and procedures — specifically the procedures — no longer fit our ice market today,” he had said during the June 20 meeting.
“Collectively, all contract groups cancelled 22 per cent of their booked prime time ice last season, which represents a loss of revenue to the tune of about $21,600 in just six months.”
Last season, the minor hockey association — the arena's largest of nine major user groups — was contracted for 775 hours of ice time but only ended up using 539 hours. In other words, 236 hours were returned to the town. These cancellations are also detrimental to the community in that other residents lose out on prime time ice rental opportunities, and they also result in poor use of staff time, he said.
Prime ice time is defined by the town's policy as 3 p.m. to midnight on weekdays as well as 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekends. Non prime ice time is 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays. Last year, almost half of the available prime ice time was not used, he told council.
“Given the fact we don't have summer ice where we can run tournaments or other events to make up for fall and winter, we now have to focus heavily on prime time ice — that's where the real opportunity is at.”
But with the 48-hour cancellation notice outlined in the existing policy, administration is having a difficult time finding other users at the last minute to book large chunks of ice time on a Saturday or Sunday specifically, he said.
Among the originally suggested changes to the policy were to introduce a 14-day cancellation notice, a $25 administrative fee for cancelling an ice rental booking, as well as prepaid season fees in two installments, he said.
Dorothy Thengs, president of the Sundre Minor Hockey Association, was among several other association members who attended the June 20 meeting.
“We're here to explain the impact of these proposed changes will be financially detrimental to the Sundre Minor Hockey Association.”
The association already pays close to $5,000 simply to rent ice in Caroline, where the rink is ready by the end of September as opposed to early October, which is the case with Sundre's arena. That gives the teams time to prepare for tiering. As for the proposed 14-day cancellation period, the association itself doesn't know that far in advance when games might get cancelled, especially during playoff season. Additionally, the association cannot afford the $25 fee to cancel ice time nor can it pay upfront in two installments the fees for the season's ice time, she said.
“We fundraise throughout the year. Our fundraising last year covered approximately 40 per cent of all of our costs. And our two major fundraisers are not done until the end of January, and one towards the end of the season,” she said, adding funds from those tournaments are not collected until after the events.
“We just simply don't have our funding in place by October or November, or in January. We have to do it on a monthly basis.”
Coun. Myron Thompson wanted to know why Sundre's ice is not ready by the end of September, to which James replied the weather at that point is generally still too warm.
“Our system is not set up with the underground humidification and the light to encourage the ice to come in earlier. October is typically when it goes in,” said James, adding the ice could go in earlier if the weather permitted.
Thompson followed up to ask how much it would cost to make improvements to the arena so the facility could make ice earlier in spite of the weather. Such a project is estimated to be more than $1 million, said James.
The matter at the time was tabled to allow administration and the association more opportunity to work together towards a compromise to bring a new proposal for council's consideration.
Since the ice allocation policy was back on the Aug. 29 agenda, there was a heavy presence of members and representatives from minor hockey attending council's meeting.
“I don't know what exactly Sundre minor hockey is going to do if this goes through,” said Thengs, adding the association has grown this year to include two more teams, which of course will represent a need for additional ice time. She re-iterated some points previously raised, including the association's inability to pay fees upfront in two payments and requested monthly billing remain in effect.
“We feel that being one of the larger user groups that we should have a voice in such a policy.”
Thompson expressed surprise that no compromise had been reached following the June meeting.
“Am I being told that we're here tonight and no agreement has been reached?” he asked, also wondering whether a followup meeting had been held between the association and town staff.
There had been a meeting but Thengs said suggestions brought forward by the association were refused.
“I'm disappointed to hear that, that's not what negotiating and coming to an agreement is about,” said Thompson.
Mayor Terry Leslie said administration had been directed by council to find efficiencies in the budget during the challenging economic climate and that lost revenue from cancelled ice times is an issue.
“I don't think there's anybody that hasn't looked to try and come with some of those solutions. But at this point, there hasn't been as much discussion as necessary,” he said.
Thompson later raised a point of order requesting council allow James to present administration's case ahead of the community services manager's allotted time on the agenda so the association's members could be part of that discussion.
“Let's wrap this up,” he said, with council agreeing.
Before administration presented the revised ice allocation policy and procedures report to council on June 20, a number of neighbouring municipalities, which at some point in time experienced similar ice cancellation problems, were consulted. The neighbouring municipalities are Didsbury, Olds, Innisfail, Sylvan Lake, Rocky Mountain House and Banff. These communities all have 14 to 21 days ice cancellation notifications and in some municipalities a zero ice cancellation policy is enforced, reported James.
He also said administration had agreed to make concessions on the following: remove the $25 ice cancellation fee for all groups; break down ice rental fees for the association into two installments — 30 per cent by Nov. 1 with the remaining 70 per cent due by Jan. 15, while all other groups would prepay in two equal installments; offer the association public program ice hours in the early part of each new year if minor hockey requires ice time for playoff games; and to work with the association on fundraising programs during the Christmas holiday ice hours.
However, the association was not in favour of those suggestions, he said.
Coun. Chris Vardas said both sides need to arrive at a “happy medium” and that not enough effort had been invested towards a solution.
Thompson did not seem concerned about what kinds of policies other municipalities have in place and said that the solution for Sundre has to come locally. The councillor said he was prepared to table the issue until administration and the association could come to agreeable terms.
“If there's a will, there's a way,” he said.
Council ended up again tabling the motion and directed administrative staff to further engage with members of the minor hockey association to bring back a request for decision at a coming meeting.
