New ice time rules planned next year

The city may have new rules in place by 2018 to ensure the allocation of ice time for hockey leagues and other user groups is consistent and fair.

In 2015 the city allocated more prime-time ice hours to youth programs, shutting out some adult hockey groups that had been renting ice time in the early evenings and on weekends for years at city arenas.

At the time, city staff had already begun reviewing ice rental policies in 25 other cities and was looking to develop a prospective policy for Peterborough.

Meanwhile kids’ hockey programs – especially for girls – were gaining popularity, and children and their families were desperate for more ice time.

So the city tried to help, in 2015 – even though it meant telling some adult hockey groups they couldn’t have the ice time reserved for them for years.

On Tuesday, the city’s parks and recreation advisory board heard at a meeting that it can expect to see a first draft of the ice allocation policy in the spring of 2018.

A report to the board from Sue Warrington, the city’s arena division manager, states that the city is meeting with the three main minor hockey organizations in Peterborough to try to work out some of the final details.

This season they’re determining how to allow these three hockey organizations to swap ice time when they have a conflict, for instance (ie: they may swap ice time when teams are going to be away for a tournament, to ensure prime ice time doesn’t go unused.)

The idea is to work out the finer points this season and then present the board – and then city council with a proposed new policy next year.

Coun. Dave Haacke, a member of the parks and recreation committee, reminded fellow committee members that the whole point is to help children participate in programs.

“It’s meant for kids, first and foremost,” he said.

Meanwhile the city is planning a new twin-pad arena on Pioneer Rd. at Trent University. Construction is expected to start in 2018.

It’s meant to replace the aging Northcrest Arena. Haacke said perhaps the new facility will alleviate the need for ice time in the city.

“Hopefully it gets better when we have the new twin-pad,” he said. “But that remains to be seen.”