The President of Riverside Minor Hockey is hoping for a "common sense approach" that would satisfy the many, not just the few, when it comes to ice time in the city.
Anne Marie Schofield says the motion going forward to city council next week makes the most sense for all major user groups when it comes to reallocating ice time following a fire at the WFCU Centre.
City council will receive a report at their next meeting suggesting to convert the curling rink at the Capri Pizzeria Recreation Complex back to a skating ice pad to accommodate user groups who were displaced following the fire.
The fire at the end of April caused $1-million in damage, mainly to the AM800 rink at the WFCU, which is home to the Riverside Minor Hockey Association (RMHA).
RMHA provides hockey programming to over 600 Windsor youth. They utilize 56 hours per week on the AM800 rink as well as another 22 hours per week on the Green Shield rink at the WFCU.
Schofield says it would make more sense to satisfy the many, not just the few.
"Thousands of youth skaters, whether it be from figure skating or hockey, will be adversely affected if Rink A at Capri is not returned to normal ice use for one season. We know that curling will come back, no one wants to permanently displace them, but for one year it's the approach that makes the most sense."
She says there's an existing ice policy between 11 major user groups about returning ice or reallocating ice in the event of an incident.
"Should curling stay at Rink A at Capri then all the major user groups would be adversely affected. We'd be forced to return ice because the ice just wouldn't be available to us, so we'd all have to return some ice in a fair and equitable fashion - that would impact every user group."
She says the financial impact to the City of Windsor can't be ignored.
"That's revenue that's lost to the city, it's not coming back. Common sense says that this is the only option available to ensure that everyone of the major ice groups can continue their normal programming."
Schofield says the RMHA has already planned their season and ice time, which can still be fulfilled if the report is approved by council next week.
City officials state repairs to the WFCU Centre are expected to take between 10 months to a year to complete.
City council will meet Monday, June 9 at 10 a.m.