Township okays reduced ice rental rate for amalgamated minor hockey club

Huron-Kinloss has okayed a reduced ice rental rate of $110/hour at the Ripley and LucknowAarenas, for the proposed amalgamated Ripley-Lucknow Minor Hockey Association.

Brad Murray of the Lucknow Minor Hockey Association, came to council's committee-of-the-whole meeting Monday night (Nov. 6), urging the township to provide a reduced rate so the hockey club can keep costs down.

In a letter to council, Murray stated that the Ripley and Lucknow hockey associations are proceeding with efforts to amalgamate by next season. He also noted that he had met with the joint recreation board in September to discuss the costs to run minor hockey as a separate entity from council.

Murray stated the plan is to finalize the budget for the 2018-19 season and then proceed with information meetings with parents.

Community services director Mike Fair said the two hockey clubs have been meeting since the spring to discuss amalgamation of the two centres. They plan to meet with their respective membership over the next month or two, followed by an amalgamation vote.

Fair said the current adult ice rental rate is $140/hour, including HST. The rate for Lucknow Minor Hockey or any minor hockey organization to rent ice at the Ripley Arena is $112/hour including HST which is a 20-per-cent discount.

He said the amalgamation committee is proposing an ice rental rate of $110/hour for both Lucknow and Ripley Arenas, and he recommended that rate.

"We have to keep hockey accessible to as many kids as possible," said councillor Jim Hanna. "We don't want any negative effects on the families whose kids want to play hockey."

"The costs will be based on the numbers we have from Ripley and Lucknow," said Murray. "We're going to finalize our budget before Christmas and then get the proposal to the OMHA (Ontario Minor Hockey Association) by April."

"We have to keep the price (of ice rental) reasonable," said mayor Mitch Twolan. "Otherwise, we'll have empty ice, and we don't want that."