North Perth Council recently decided to take out the ice in a couple local rinks due to the lack of use because of COVID-19.
Interim Director of Parks and Recreation, Amy Gangl, says North Perth felt the costs to keep ice in at the Wallace and Monkton rinks wasn't worth it given current lockdown conditions stretching into February. The ice at the Steve Kerr Memorial in Listowel will stay in, Gangl says, at least for now.
"If the province extends (the lockdown) another 28 days, that becomes a bit more challenging, so we keep the ice in for a little bit more, and that essentially means we would be able to open in mid-March, and that makes things even tougher in terms of maintaining the ice at the Steve Kerr."
Gangl says if user groups that use the Steve Kerr Memorial ice, like the Cyclones, local minor hockey teams and casual renters aren't going to commit to some sort of consistent use, that could possibly force council to pull the ice out early in Listowel. In the meantime, North Perth has also established 3 outdoor rinks, in Atwood at the Lions pavilion, Listowel at the Memorial Park tennis courts and Monkton's tennis courts for exercise purposes. Staff are assigned to monitor the rinks during set hours from the municipality.
"So weekdays 3 p.m. until 8 p.m. in Listowel and Atwood because those rinks are lit. The Monkton is 3 p.m. until 6 p.m. on weekdays because that rink has no lights. Then on weekends we added a 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. time slot at all three rinks."
