New Lakeshore Complex Could Doom CK Arena Budget
With shovels hitting the dirt for a new multi-purpose athletic complex in Lakeshore, Chatham-Kent’s council and community services departments should be more than a little nervous.
Why you might ask? Because currently, Lakeshore, which is a Municipality consisting of multiple smaller communities including Belle River, bordering Chatham-Kent, is utilizing arenas in both Tilbury and Wheatley.
Currently, the Town of Lakeshore, utilizes approximately 30% of Tilbury’s ice time, providing the Municipality of Chatham-Kent with more than $30,000 in rentals each year. This agreement however, runs out in 2014, conveniently, the same time Lakeshore’s new $56.5 million complex is scheduled to open on Renaud Line outside Belle River.
So what does this mean? With continually declining enrolment in minor hockey and figure skating in rural communities across Chatham-Kent, coupled with the immanent loss of the Lakeshore contract, Chatham-Kent arena budget could be doomed.
Tilbury Minor Hockey already amalgamated with Chatham, to keep teams viable. Rural communities with individual girls hockey programs combined a few years ago to form the Kent Fillies. Last year, Bothwell Minor Hockey played their last games, and now, many of Bothwell’s youth are spending more and more time skating in Glencoe, across Municipal borders. Not to mention, with the rise of ice time costs, local figure skating clubs are also closing up shop.
Tilbury is Chatham-Kent’s newest arena, built in 1992, and it will soon be one of Chatham-Kent’s least used arenas, joining Bothwell and Wheatley as the least used arenas. Meanwhile, across the border into Essex County, new arenas, most multi-pad complexes, are operational and busy in LaSalle, Amherstburg, Essex, Leamington, Tecumseh, Windsor, and soon, Lakeshore.
With many of Chatham-Kent’s older arenas requiring massive upgrades, equating to massive money, it’s time for Chatham-Kent council to finally make difficult decisions. It’s time for a massive overhaul at the CK civic centre. We can’t be kind to everyone in CK, because it’s building our debt, while keeping our facilities as the laughing stock of Southwestern Ontario.
If we want an OHL franchise, we need a new arena. Heck, if we want to keep a Junior B franchise, we need a new arena. CK is a dinosaur in terms of recreation, and it needs to stop. If council can’t see it now, they will in the Fall of 2014 when the Lakeshore Recreational Complex opens, and they struggle to keep the doors open on our arenas in the South.
Re: Arena Issues in Chatham-Kent. Although I recognize the fact that we probably
need a multi purpose arena in Chatham-Kent, even if we could afford it, where would it be built?
As it is the municipality of CK is spending more money on theatres, a railroad and parks
in this area. Our infastructor, such as bridges, are also apparently in need of repair as well.
I just don’t see where the money and can be found to build a new arena complex in
Chatham-Kent, unless a private party does it. I doubt municipal money is there to put
a new arena complex up in CK any time in the near future.
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Why are all the arenas in Lakeshore, Essex and Windsor area busy and full. It’s because they charge less than Chatham-Kent roes for the ice per hour. Why is Bothwell hockey players skating in Glencoe. You guessed it. They charge less per hour. Why is minor hockey and figure skating dying in Chatham-Kent you ask? I think you already figured it out. Chatham-Kent needs to realize lower costs fills arenas and creates more profit then high costs and more dead ice. Dead ice gets them zero dollars but they would rather have that then cutting the rates. Ice costs less in Ottawa and Niagara Falls. Look it up, council should be ashamed of themselves. Time to wake up already.