Chatham-Kent Council has flip-flopped on an earlier decision to temporarily change Bothwell Arena and Chatham’s Erickson Arena to multipurpose facilities with no ice to accommodate other sports and activities this winter such as pickleball, volleyball and ball hockey.
After considerable backlash from the public, council reversed its decision and stated the two arenas will have ice this winter.
“The community really feels they got blindsided on this one,” says Councillor Steve Pinsonneault. “This arena is very important to (Bothwell).”
Councillor Marjorie Crew said she’s concerned that the public is not being engaged prior to council making decisions, which leads council having to revisit decisions they’ve made.
“We’re looking wishy-washy and I don’t like that feeling, when we make a decision we should be able to stick to it,” Crew says.
Administration says not having ice at Bothwell over the next few months would’ve saved approximately $82,000.
Ice will be in both arenas from December until March of 2021.
A notice of motion was put in place to discuss not putting ice at Chatham’s Thames Campus Arena at the next council meeting.
