STRATFORD, P.E.I. — Coun. Darren MacDougall finds that members of his family are spending more of their time and money across Kings County than in their own community.
That's because his kids are involved in minor hockey out of the Pownal Sports Centre, which Stratford helps fund. There are so many players registered in Pownal's leagues that it's hard for many of them to play and practice on one of its two sheets of ice, MacDougall said.
"So, we have to pick up ice time elsewhere," he told The Guardian. "It's just simply a numbers game."
That means that several times a week he's usually eating out, buying groceries and refueling his vehicle at various communities across Kings County while his kids play out of their rinks, he said during a Dec. 9 council meeting held via video conference.
"Which is great for Kings County, but of course I want those dollars to be kept in Stratford."
MacDougall believes having a rink in Stratford would benefit its businesses and its residents, especially those involved in the sport. Jeremy Pierce, the town's recreational director, is also an advocate seeing as there are about 930 minor hockey players in Pownal, a majority of which are from the Stratford area, he said.
"I would like to see this kept on the frontburner."
- Stratford Mayor Steve Ogden
Stratford also has hundreds of ringette players who have to travel out of town for ice time, as well as speedskating and figure skating communities. Pierce would see a rink in Stratford as being complementary to Pownal's, he said.
"There's lots of events we could hold year-round if we had the facility for it."
Plus, it'd be hard to find a community Stratford's size that doesn't have its own rink, he said.
"It would really drive people to our community."
MacDougall has spoken with some of the people behind North Rustico's recent efforts to build a new rink in place of its aging North Star Arena, who are providing him a template for Stratford to reference. North Rustico's replacement is being made possible thanks to federal funding, corporate sponsorships, and community fundraising.
"I think we should, sooner than later, strike a committee to do what Rustico did," he said.
COST FOR COMPARISON:
• North Rustico's replacement of the 50-year-old North Star Arena is set to cost about $10 million.
• The federal government is investing over $3.8 million through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP). The province is providing over $3.1 million, leaving the municipality to provide more than $2.9 million.
• Jeremy Pierce, Stratford's recreational director, said whether or not a potential rink in Stratford would be comparable in cost "depends on the magnitude of the arena."
• Stratford had applied for the same federal funds that Rustico received for its rink - while Rustico came out on top, Stratford may still be eligible for some ICIP funding, Pierce said.
Most of council was on board with MacDougall's pitch.
"It's a community hub. I think that's the part that excites me the most," Coun. Jill Burridge said. "And there's a lot of people who just want to go out and skate."
While deputy mayor Gary Clow likes the idea, he reminded council of all the other big projects Stratford has on the go, such as its community campus. With the town's 2021/22 budget discussions soon to take place, council can only focus on so many costs at a time, he said.
"I think we have to get our priorities straight," he said. "Perhaps we'll have to give up something to get the rink."
That being considered, the working design for Stratford's community campus has space allocated for a potential rink, and the town intends to run a resident survey seeking input on how the land ought to be used, MacDougall said.
Further discussions on the possibility of a rink and striking a committee to work on ways to get one will be had at a future meeting.
"I would like to see this kept on the front-burner," Mayor Steve Ogden said.
Daniel Brown is a local journalism initiative reporter, a position funded by the federal government. Twitter.com/dnlbrown95
