CONDORS ON PROWL FOR NEW NEST
Program for players with disabilities seeks partners to help build rink
On a day when winter was coming to a sputtering and thankful conclusion, Dale Hein easily rocked in his boardroom chair speaking about the passion of his athletic life — hockey.
“I love the sport. I can’t get it out of my system for whatever reason,” said the Stittsville chartered accountant, a former house-league hockey player, who has served as a triple-A minor hockey coach, managed the Beckwith Recreation Complex arena for four years, and still enjoys the thrill of playing Sunday night adult hockey.
But the version of hockey that is closest to his heart these days is the program for children, teen and adult players with a variety of intellectual and/or physical disabilities. When he attends one of the Capital City Condors’ practices or games, he can only stand behind the glass so long. The courage, enthusiasm, energy, enjoyment and perseverance shown by the players brings him to the edge of his emotional cliff.
And his affinity for the nineyear-old Condors program is leading Hein on a challenging, but necessary journey — building a not-for-profit, two-pad arena on a 15.8-acre site on Rothbourne Road in Carp to serve the Condors and other under-serviced groups such as minor, women’s and adult hockey and ringette. It’s also a venture he has become greatly attached to, since being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, which has left him fatigued and with weakness on the right side, but no tremors.
“It has limited my ability to participate (in adult hockey). I play occasionally,” Hein offered at the end of a lengthy interview. “I want to make a difference. I feel restricted now because of my diagnosis. I can appreciate what these kids go through, when they can’t do something.
“Being able to help them is a way I can help myself.”
Hein, the senior associate of Hein & Associates, CPAs and Stellar Management Group, and Condors president and co-founder Jim Perkins are the driving forces behind the campaign, which is “still very premature,’ according to Hein. They’re trying to raise money to develop, build and operate a modern, NHL-sized, double-rink arena with a vintage flavour. The estimated cost is between $14 million and $16 million.
Besides the two rinks, the complex will include a restaurant with viewing to both ice pads, 10 barrier-free dressing rooms, two referee dressing rooms, wide hallways, retractable team benches with see-through boards and a flat transition floor from the bench area onto the ice, two rows of seating in each arena, large colourful signage and a media room to review videos with 25 theatre-style seats. The Condors will have their own double-size dressing room with their logo painted on the floor and player equipment stalls painted on the walls.
The plan also includes space for a future third rink as well as a soccer field and basketball court to accommodate summer camps.
Hein has been associated with the Condors since the beginning in 2008, when he rented Perkins the program’s first hour of ice time for its first three participants at Beckwith. In the past nine years, the Condors program has grown to 96 skaters in four levels of ability with teams in Kanata and Gloucester as well as another 30 in Cambridge. The program has more than 50 registered volunteers.
While the growth has been encouraging for Perkins and his wife and Condors co-founder Shana, the struggle has been in finding enough affordable ice time. Over the years, the Condors have travelled extensively to experience hockey in Beckwith, Rockland, Kinburn and Kanata. They have struggled with three hours of ice a week, but would thrive with eight hours weekly.
The concept of having a home arena for all practices, games and tournaments would bring major stability to the program. For that to happen, Hein is hunting for investors, partners and sponsors to support the arena’s financial plan. Hein has had preliminary discussions with the city about the arena and as a not-for-profit group could receive reductions on development fees and property taxes.
“Our biggest challenge is funding. We’re taking a not-for-profit approach and it’s a challenge to get it built,” Hein said. “This is not an easy project to get off the ground.
“There’s more than enough demand. We have three-quarters of the ice spoken for. Finding dollars is the challenge. We’re trying to come up with creative ideas to get all involved.”
Hein was told by the city it will cost about $8 million to build a single ice pad, but he’s hoping he can slice $1 million from that figure.
Ideally, Perkins would like to see 25 players on the ice for each onehour session instead of 40 to help player development and safety.
“We’re desperately after another home,” he said. “This would be the first opportunity to expand our hours to accommodate each group in the best possible way.”
Perkins added the restricted on-ice time also is the biggest challenge for the coaches.
“We have five skills stations to develop their skills before the games. We’re learning to adapt, but the dream is to have more (hours),” he said. “With that nucleus, we can’t give individual attention because there are so many.”
If all goes well, Hein hopes to open the arena in May 2018.
“In our minds, it’s a go,” Hein said. “All the people we have talked to are chomping at it.
“The game should be experienced by all. Hockey is the best game in the world and creates camaraderie like no other game.”
Meanwhile, the Condors are in the midst of a fundraising campaign to collect $150,000 to compete in a tournament in April 2017 in California, sanctioned by USA Hockey and Hockey Canada. They are nearing 10 per cent of their goal. In 2015, the Condors hosted the 74-team Special Hockey International tournament.
The Kyle Turris Capital City Condors Golf Classic is June 6 at the Marshes Golf Club. Turris is one of several present and past Ottawa Senators players, including Chris Neil, Mark Borowiecki, Patrick Wiercioch and Matt Carkner, who have assisted with the Condors program.
Our biggest challenge is funding. We’re taking a not-for-profit approach and it’s a challenge to get it built.