City aims to make access to new four-pad arena equitable

The new four-pad arena is set to open in Hammonds Plains this fall, and HRM councillors weren't skating around the issue of ice time allocation last week.

Questions arose following distribution of an information report concerning a proposed community access plan for the arena. The report outlined plans to begin addressing the "inequitable access to prime time ice" among genders and sports groups.

The report noted that groups including women's hockey, sledge hockey, ringette, figure skating and speed skating haven't benefitted from prime time ice access equal to their participation numbers, while both adult and youth hockey have had a disproportionate share of ice time.

"It has been made clear that female groups have been under-served for sports like ringette and hockey, so that's the kind of thing we're trying to equalize," said Bedford Coun. Tim Outhit.

The four-pad arena will be the first HRM-owned arena to implement an ice allocation policy. Municipal arenas currently employ no gender or sport equity policies, although the report did outline two common practices.

The first favours minor youth sports over adult users for prime time access. The second is the practice of giving first dibs on prime time ice to existing users renewing and booking their ice rental times each season.

"As a result of "historic booking" practice, access to prime time ice has become entrenched with existing users and it is difficult to increase access for new or developing sports groups," the report said.

Too many users and not enough ice has been a long-standing problem in HRM, and sports organizations, athletes and councillors from districts throughout the municipality are anxious to know how, or if, the new facility will benefit them.

One Sackville man who didn't want to be identified said gentlemen's hockey teams often make do with "terrible" ice times, if they can get them at all. He hopes consideration will also be given to gentlemen's hockey groups.

"With all this talk of participaction and obesity rates and unhealthy lifestyles, you'd think we could do more to make sure we're providing for everybody that wants the chance to be active," he said. "I'm not sure this one four-pad facility is going to do a whole lot when we have this huge lack of ice everywhere. It's a drop in the bucket."

Last week's information report stated HRM staff expect to begin discussions directed at implementing the policy at all 16 municipal arenas for the 2011-2012 season.

Councillors deferred the matter until June 22, when they expected to hear from four-pad operators Nustadia Recreation Inc. during a presentation to regional council.

ydentremont@hfxnews.ca