Blenheim, Ridgetown Minor Hockey To Amalgamate

The Blenheim & District Minor Hockey Association, and Ridgetown Minor Hockey Association, held an Amalgamation information meeting this week and a vote to determine if the membership of the BDMHA and RMHA was in favour of amalgamating the two minor hockey associations. After the vote, it was determined that the two Minor Hockey organizations would indeed amalgamate, potentially as early as next season.

Of the 88 Blenheim members in attendance, 78 voted for, and 10 voted against amalgamation. This represented an 88.6% approval.

Ridgetown Minor Hockey Association members also voted on the amalgamation. Of the 90 votes cast from Ridgetown, 89 voted for the amalgamation, while only one member voted against, representing a 98.8% approval.

In total, a 66% approval is required, which was easily met. The two organizations will now set up an amalgamation committee and begin moving forward toward becoming one minor hockey association.

The two communities are not unfamiliar with sharing players, as many minor players move between organizations due to team availability. Also, this year, the Ridgetown-Blenheim Chiefs played in the Juvenile Shamrock league, featuring players from both communities. As well, girls hockey in Ridgetown and Blenheim has been combined for several years as the Kent County Fillies.

This isn’t the first amalgamation in recent years, as Tilbury and Chatham combined their minor hockey travel teams in 2011.

CKSN will have further reaction and coverage on this decision in the coming days.