Saugeen Shores Mayor Luke Charbonneau says the town is listening closely to ice user groups following a delegation from the Winterhawks that warned council the community is reaching a breaking point for ice availability.
Charbonneau says the Winterhawks are a respected organization and their concerns are being taken seriously, but he cautioned that expanding ice facilities must be weighed against broader municipal priorities.
"Obviously, Jordan (MacKinnon) and the Winterhawks are a well-respected group in the community, and we’re keen to hear their thoughts on the issues as they see them," Charbonneau said. "We are pretty committed to making major investments in recreation across the municipality, and a third ice pad is in our long-term plans within our 10-year capital plan."
The Winterhawks appeared before council Monday, January 26 pushing back against a town-commissioned arena and sports fields needs assessment that suggested Saugeen Shores could wait until 2036 or later to add another ice surface. Ice users say all local facilities are already booked solid, forcing some players to travel long distances for practice time.
Charbonneau acknowledged that town data shows ice usage is already maxed out, but said needs assessments and user feedback must be considered together.
"We know that our ice usage rates are at 100 per cent," he said. "We do those needs assessments, we do the clinical evaluation of how much the ice is being used, and then we combine that with input from user groups."
Addressing concerns about kids travelling outside the community for ice, Charbonneau said local minor hockey remains a priority, but noted that some travel is expected for regional teams.
"We definitely have to ensure that Saugeen Shores Storm kids are able to play here at home," he said. "As it stands today, I think we’re doing a pretty good job of that. That’s not to say comments about how we could improve the service or add ice aren’t legitimate."
Charbonneau also stressed that cost remains a major factor in how quickly the town can move forward. He said a new municipal ice facility would likely cost between $15 and $20 million, with no dedicated provincial funding available.
"There’s no magic bullet and there’s no magic money coming to pay for it," he said. "Most of that would rest on the taxpayer, and we have to make sure we do it in a way that aligns with the taxpayer’s ability to pay. People are stressed out there financially, and we have to bear that in mind."
While the Winterhawks are urging council to accelerate plans, Charbonneau says the town will continue working with ice users to explore options within its long-term planning framework.
"We’re interested in those comments and taking them into account," he said. "We’ll keep talking to user groups, and I’m sure we’ll explore ways to better serve their needs in the years to come."
Council has not made any immediate decisions on accelerating construction of a new ice surface, but discussions are expected to continue as part of the town’s capital planning process.
