Whitewater Region will open all three of its arenas after all.
The Township is doubling back on a recent decision to shutter their arenas in Westmeath and Beachburg for the winter, as Mayor Neil Nicholson tells myFM that demand is too much for the Cobden arena alone.
He adds that their backup plan was always to reopen the Westmeath arena, but the township has also offered the Beachburg Recreation Association a one-time, $40,000 grant to run their local rink.
It will end up being a costly choice that Nicholson says the township council will have to revisit in next year’s budget.
While demand for ice time is high in Whitewater Region, those who are asking for it will also need a closer look ahead of next year.
An estimated 250 hours of this year’s ice time will go to both interests in Pembroke, like the Silver Stick Tournament, as well as for hockey teams and organizations that aren’t tied to a specific township, like the Upper Ottawa Valley Aces and the Valley Thunder.
Nicholson says one of the big questions that will come before council this fall is what would be an appropriate non-resident rate to use their arenas and how to keep taxpayers from subsidizing non-resident usage.
(written by Kasey Egan)