Open skate times causing problems

STEWIACKE: It seems a quick click of the mouse has created quite the debate regarding open skate times at the Town of Stewiacke’s ice surface in Dennis Park.
During the committee of the whole meeting on Feb. 9, councillors discussed at length what they wanted to do after the time was changed by Recreation and Physical Activity director Andrew Nielsen and promptly posted on the town’s Recreation and Physical Activity facebook page. It was later deleted.
CAO Sheldon Dorey told council the open skate time change from 6-7 p.m. to 3-5 p.m. came after Nielsen had discussed it with him. He saw no problem with it.
In a report to council, Nielsen noted during the past few weeks there had been repeated inquiries about the skating time.
“Residents stated they felt the current time was too late for young families who wish to skate together,” Nielsen said in the report. “They (the families) don’t feel comfortable being on the ice earlier when there is hockey being played. They have asked for a time earlier in the day that would better suit their needs.”
He noted most of the users in the afternoon hours have been youth and teenagers that are playing hockey.
“Although, it’s good the ice is being used frequently for hockey, staff feel it would better reflect the initial concept of the skating surface if more families and younger residents were provided more an opportunity to use the ice safely.”
Because of that, Nielsen recommended the time for the open skate change from 6-7 p.m. daily to 3-5 p.m. daily.
Dorey said if the town wanted a spot for hockey to be played they should have put boards in.
“I’m not for or against the use of the surface being used, it’s good that it’s being used,” he said. “It would be good for council, in one way or another, to decide in what direction we want to go. In my opinion, it’s a staff thing.”
Some councillors felt the subject of the time change didn’t belong at council’s table, as they are just “policy makers.”
Councillor Debbie Frizzell believed it’s a staff decision, although she did have concerns with the recommended time.
“The only concern I have is 3-5 p.m., for family skate through the week, parents just getting home from work, is 3-5 advisable?” she questioned. “I think that’s why we opted for a later time, but as far as the time goes I believe it’s up to the recreation coordinator.”
Coun. Tracy Werenka felt it should be a staff decision as they’re the ones who are receiving the feedback—positive and negative.
“I felt it was appropriately done, that the recreation coordinator approached the administrative staff as opposed to just making the decision,” said Werenka. “I feel this table should not be the one that organize the times to clean the ice, who should skate when.
“We’re policy makers. The ice surface was meant to add to the recreational avenues within the town. It was never meant to cause controversy. If a policy needs to be developed, that’s our place at the table. It’s not council’s direction to determine the hours of use.”
Coun. Jacqueline Baker asked Nielsen if he received many calls about the time. He told her that he did, especially since they started posting the updates on the recreation and physical activity department’s facebook page.
“There were a number of posts, and that led to e-mails and phone calls, and people asking me about the time,” Nielsen said. “A lot of people were speaking with town staff at the office about the change.”
Werenka said the designated time was done so there would be no sticks or pucks on the ice, just skating.
“Without a designated time, there’s no one to say or nothing to uphold and say ‘excuse me, but this is the designated time, no pucks or sticks,’” she said.
The question that bothered Werenka was who has the direction to make the change.
“Is it necessary to have this discussion at this table,” she said.
Frizzell wondered if they couldn’t make a motion that the decision on the skating use at the ice surface is left up to staff’s discretion.
“It’s a decision that should be made within administrative staff and the hired recreation coordinator,” said Werenka.
“It’s just to make sure it doesn’t come to the table again. Let staff handle it,” added Frizzell.
One of those parents that Nielsen heard from is Natalie Blackwood. She has started a petition, which she hopes to present at council’s regular monthly meeting Feb. 23. The petition is available at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/stewiacke-ice-rink/.
“Council may want face-to-face communication, but not everyone can either do that or go to the meetings, and at the end of the day they need it down in writing,” she said of her reasoning behind starting the petition. “Verbal views tend to fall on deaf ears. Pull everyone together and give the town its voice. It may seem like a small issue to some but it isn’t.”
The purpose of the petition is to get a time that allows children and elders use of the ‘community rink’ without being intimidated by those playing hockey or flying pucks.
She’s hoping council will see the concern and act upon it.
“Well I’m hoping council will take heed and set in place a permanent time for an open skate, more preferably that those set times will be implemented towards the hockey players and that the rest of the day being for an open skate as it should be,” she said.
For Blackwood, the issue is of importance because it has been taking place for more than a year.
“It’s horrible to feel you can’t take your children to the rink because it’s over run or that your child doesn’t want to get on there because they are scared of being knocked over, etc,” she said. “These hockey players get a lot of ice action at trainings compared to the town’s people who have limited access or time, can’t travel. The hockey players should be the ones fighting for their time on the rink not the larger majority of the town’s people.”
After a 20-minute debate on the issue, Baker, seconded by Coun. Pam Osborne put forward a motion to the Feb. 23, council session that town council set the hours on the ice surface for the remainder of this year. The motion was defeated.
Since the committee of the whole meeting, Mayor Dereck Rhoddy—who was absent from the Feb. 9 meeting due to work—said on Feb. 16 a notice of reconsideration was put forward Feb. 14, and has thus delayed the time changes. He said public skating is still from 6-7 p.m., due to the fact the motion is being reconsidered.
phealey@enfieldweeklypress.com