Good Morning,
There are several rumors circulating around the community regarding the situation with the arena in Kingsville. I would like to take a moment to address some of this, as this is still an ongoing issue, and we are currently trying to work with the town council regarding our options.
First, the facts:
The Town of Kingsville has proposed a plan to replace the ice slab, rink boards and glass at the arena. ENSMHA Board of Directors is in full support of this project. Last August when the Town put the ice back in, they had to repair 9 leaks. The concern is in taking the chance to melt the ice this summer and then starting it back up in August and having a complete failure or more leaks to fix. We recognize this concern; it is more than time to repair the arena.
However, what we are most concerned with at this time is the timing and lack of communication from the Town regarding this project, given that we are their largest ice user (by far). As a board, we have been trying to work closely with the Recreation Department about these concerns and have gotten nowhere. We then escalated our concerns, meeting with the Mayor and the CAO to express how impactful misjudging the timing of this project's completion can be to our members. They, in turn, have gone back to their consultants and reevaluated the timelines, however the consultant has informed them that if the project is delayed, there is a 50-50 chance the ice will fail.
This puts us in a tough spot - we are looking at replacing our ice in Kingsville at other arenas and working around the clock to ensure we have what we need for you! The projected time to come back to Kingsville Arena will not be until November.
Tonight, the Town Council will meet and vote on this project. We have been allowed 10 minutes to speak and will do our very best to articulate the effects of the Recreation Department's total lack of communication and knowledge of the association, and we will be asking them to consider other issues as well. There are many points to consider and of course, these meetings are public - you as a concerned member can attend if you choose. If you are choosing to attend in person we ask that you are respectful and courteous. We are there to represent our players, not start a war. Our greatest hope is to resolve this issue and maintain a working relationship with the Town - they need us, and we need them. You can also view this meeting online using the following link, and hear what we are advocating for to the council.