After months of renovations, the Plainsmen Arena will not be open in time for the start of the 2011-12 season.
With an expected opening date of Oct. 31, the delay of three weeks will leave ice user groups in a lurch.
“It is really frustrating and has had quite an impact on us,” said Tim Kehoe, president of the Airdrie Minor Hockey Association.
“We have three options: delay the start time of our city leagues; go out of town to Crossfield, Carstairs, Didsbury, Bieseker, Cochrane or Strathmore; or look at early-morning time at the Twin Arena (Ron Ebbesen Arena).”
He said although the Ron Ebbesen Arena could work for practice time, it is weekend game ice time that is of the biggest concern.
“It is definitely going to affect our members. They will be getting up really early, driving long distances out of town, or more likely – doing both,” he said.
The Airdrie Minor Hockey Association board hasn’t decided what step it is going to take because it has to wait for the leagues in the surrounding towns to create their teams and post their schedules to see where Airdrie’s 1,100 kids can fit in.
“It is going to be down to the wire,” said Kehoe.
“We just hope everyone understands there is nothing we can really do and there will be sacrifices that need to be made.”
The board and coaches of the Airdrie Skating Club are also considering sacrificing the length of their season because of the Plainsmen Arena delay.
Coach Richelle Rothecker said the arena has been home to the club for almost 30 years.
“That is our home base and we are not happy,” she said.
“We usually start the learn-to-skate and Can Skate program in the first week of October, we have had to push it back to the 17th now and that means we will have to work all the way to Christmas.”
The club has about 400 members, 200 of whom use the ice on any practice night. Between the skating club, minor hockey and the Airdrie Ringette Association (ARA), Rothecker estimated the number of children who use the Plainsmen Arena ice to be about 1,800 and that doesn’t include the adult teams.
Gareth McCullough, ARA president, said although the delay affects what programs the group will be able to put together for September and October, most local organizations are working closely trying to minimize the impact to clubs.
“We have made some tentative plans, but until we get the actual allotment of ice slots designated for ringette from the City, it is hard to say what the actual impact will be,” he said.
“We believe that we can still put a very good program together, by sharing ice and taking other initiatives until the Plainsman is ready. This situation is unfortunate, and all associations will have their struggles for the first month to six weeks, but hopefully we will all be enjoying the new facility come Nov. 1.”
The Plainsmen Arena was originally built in 1974 and is undergoing a renovation that includes a new ice surface, ice plant, rink boards, players’ benches and spectator seating. Upgrades also include an indoor snowmelt pit and water management through changes in site grading.
“The City of Airdrie is working with ice user groups to ensure that they all get ice time for core programs during the month of October,” said Michelle Lock, director of community services.
Lock said, despite the original construction schedule that was designed to minimize the impact on ice users, the project will not be completed until the end of October.
Construction on the building began in May but wet, cold summer weather, pre-existing ground water issues and site foundation issues uncovered during the renovation have impacted the project timelines, delaying completion by three weeks, added Lock.
Airdrie Skating Club president Melissa Kerr said the Club’s competitive figure skaters don’t have the option of delaying the season and must find somewhere else to practice.
“We really have no option,” said Kerr.
“We are going to have to look into Crossfield, Bieseker and Didsbury at the cost to the club, but even then, if they have a competitive group, it is seen as a conflict of interest for us to use their ice.”
She said the process has been frustrating because the club has been trying to work with the City by leaving the arena earlier than normal in the spring and helping to draw up plans for phase two of the Plainsmen project, which include change rooms and lobby access. It was delayed by City council in May because the cost was higher than expected.
“We are really disappointed about not getting the changing rooms,” said Rothecker.
“We are waiting longer and getting less than what we were told.”
Lock said the City is actively working with user groups.
“Working together on options to ensure that all users get ice time for their core programs has been very positive,” said Lock.
“Those options include shared ice, purchasing ice time outside of Airdrie, reduced ice time for all groups and limiting ice time to child and youth teams only, for the month of October.”
Bird Construction is working extended hours, compressing the schedule and overlapping trades as much as possible to speed the project along, she added.
