Councillors critical after city hall edict to remove hockey nets from outdoor rinks

City hall is acknowledging that information about hockey nets on outdoor rinks in Saskatoon was poorly communicated, leading to what the general manager of community services characterized as a “firestorm.”

At a meeting on Monday evening, city councillors questioned administrators about reports from unhappy residents that nets would no longer be allowed, to discourage people from playing hockey, which is banned.

Councillors Troy Davies and Randy Donauer said they were caught off-guard. Davies subsequently criticized city hall for acting without council's approval, while Donauer said the move likely went beyond the latest public health restrictions.

The province banned team and group sports, including hockey, on Nov. 27. Players under 18 are allowed to practise, but only in groups of eight.

“That's a pretty big jump,” Donauer said.

In an interview on Tuesday, general manager of community services, Lynne Lacroix, admitted the city did a poor job communicating information from the province to community associations, which own and operate the rinks.

The original letter sent by the city on Nov. 30 asks all community association rink co-ordinators to “secure away or remove any hockey nets from your rinks so they cannot be used at any time, during public skating.”

The letter “strongly recommend(s)” not leaving any nets out when the rink is not being supervised, to discourage gatherings and hockey-playing.

Lacroix said the letter was based on information received from the province, including that nets are not allowed during supervised public skating time.

Beyond that, the province recommended removing the nets to prevent hockey games from breaking out, but the city cannot direct the associations to take them away when the rinks are not supervised, she said.

“Nets aren't the problem,” said Davies, who, like Donauer, noted that a net is not required for a game of hockey.

Lacroix said she would follow up with the councillors, as well as the provincial government.