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Minor hockey concerned over ice time

County says there is enough ice time available

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The Norfolk Minor Hockey Association is facing more problems than anticipated in its inaugural year.

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NMHA, a partnership of Simcoe, Waterford, and Port Dover hockey associations, is heading into the first season pondering the implications of COVID-19 and the closure of the Simcoe Recreation Centre Arena.

The NMHA program is planning on overseeing 750 minor hockey players for the 2020-21 season.

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The biggest concern for the association is that between the Norfolk, Port Dover, Waterford, Simcoe, and Norfolk Herricanes hockey associations 163 hours of ice time in East Norfolk arenas are required per week, compared to the 124 hours required last season.

“Ultimately we’re trying to get the council to reverse their decision (to close the Simcoe Rec Centre arena),” Martin Jefferson, president of NMHA, said in a phone interview on Monday.

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Plans are to re-purpose the Rec Centre arena as the new home of the Simcoe Seniors Centre.

Jefferson said he has taken on the task of scheduling the ice times for the NMHA teams and the arenas are currently at “110 per cent” capacity. In Norfolk County there is a policy that gives minor hockey top priority when it comes to choosing ice time slots, meaning adult programs may be displaced.

“Staff has a different view of that based on historical ice usage,” Jason Burgess, chief administrative officer, said in a phone interview Monday. “Minor hockey thinks that ice usage is going to significantly increase, we don’t hold that view. When you look at all of the ice that we have, including Langton and Delhi, there is sufficient ice.”

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Jefferson said as they have merged to become an A-level hockey program the required number of practices will increase to compete with nearby A-level programs including Brant.

“It might not be where you traditionally play, but as a county as a whole we believe there is sufficient ice,” Burgess continued. “But people may not be able to play at their traditional times.”

Jefferson also raised the issue of non-traditional times, saying some practices have had to be pushed to the 6 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. time slots.

“We got over our initial panic by being able to slot the quantity of hours,” said Jefferson.

Along with the closure of the Rec Centre, the Port Dover Area Arena is currently being used as one of two temporary infirmaries as part of the COVID-19 response in Haldimand and Norfolk. 

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“We accept that there are challenges, but we are also confident that solutions can be found. However, Norfolk County has to want to find the solutions, and to engage users to do so,” the association said in a letter and discussion paper posted on its website. “In the end, we are partners in our communities and partners in the arena facilities. There is no doubt we can work together, engage, and make this work. This is not a bridge too far.”

Minor hockey is suggesting rather than removing the ice at the Rec Centre for the seniors centre to take its place, the seniors could use the community rooms at the same location that are not used by minor hockey for its activities.

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