The Community Services Division is looking for feedback on whether the community would like to see ice year-round in the Don Lough arena at the Canada Summit Centre. Each year, the Town of Huntsville has ice on both arena surfaces from September to April and then from May to August the arena surfaces are used as sports courts for user groups and Town programming.
What are your thoughts? A public survey for the community is available online at myhuntsville.ca and residents are encouraged to provide their comments. In addition, a user group survey is also available at myhuntsville.ca for organizations to provide their input.
The public engagement opportunity will be conducted online only, closing on May 5, 2023, at 4:30 pm. Information will be gathered and staff will provide the details in a report to General Committee in June.
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Dr Jocelyn Knox says
Online only?! may 5th deadline?! None of the concerns brought forward to the public to educate community what it means to local minor community groups that currently use it mentioned in survey? That is biased.
This is NOT good for our children or our community.
Marcia Mackesy says
The survey is skewed because people need to learn the variables and the community should know the facts.
Not allowing HDML and Jr C access to both pads for only 3 MONTHS will cripple both organizations with regards to practice times and the ability to host tournaments. Additionally, Huntsville District Minor Lacrosse and the Jr C organization have grown substantially and one pad can not accommodate the volume.
There is no ice in the Don Lough arena from mid-April to mid-July. However, there IS ICE from mid-July onward for summer hockey programs.
This needs to stop being a lacrosse vs. hockey fight and be factually acknowledged that it is an equity issue.
Also as a productivity metric,
Six lacrosse athletes represent Huntsville in a Canadian Hall of Fame.
One lacrosse alum is on a Canadian National Team and will represent Canada and Huntsville at a World Championships.
One member was drafted 5th in the NLL draft and will play professional lacrosse representing Huntsville.
Multiple athletes are playing in the OUAA on high-caliber university teams.
Seven athletes are currently representing Huntsville and playing in the NCAA on scholarships.
One member is a coach of a Canadian National Team and a University team.
One member has represented Huntsville as a trainer for other countries on the international stage.
Executives have represented Huntsville on national organizations.
These are just a sample of how the lacrosse community has positively represented Huntsville. It is incomprehensible why the community of Huntsville wants to take away from lacrosse rather than celebrate it.
Bill Spring says
I agree that Lacrosse and Hockey should not be pitted against each other. Many of Huntsville’s elite athletes in the past played both sports. Would not an outdoor box with a roof solve a lot of issues?
It would give Huntsville a much needed outdoor ice surface in the winter and Lacrosse a second pad in the summer. It needs to have a roof to keep the sun and snow off the ice in winter and provide shade in the summer. Not sure if that’s practical, but it would be wonderful.
Brian Tapley says
Is the arena technically set up to accept year round ice? In some cases deep ground frost and foundation issues can occur if the surface is not designed for ice to be kept in place 100% of the time.
Marcia Mackesy says
For clarity and accuracy – I made an incorrect statement in my post. There is no ice in the Don Lough arena from mid-July onward.
My statement was based on my memory and history of pre-COVID, earlier years.
The corrected statement should read – lacrosse does not utilize the Don after mid-July. Therefore, currently, there would be the ability to have ice on the Don from mid-July onward.