Chatham-Kent council approved converting two of its 10 arenas into multipurpose facilities for other activities and sports this winter.
Chatham’s Erickson Arena and Bothwell Arena will not have ice this winter.
The decision isn’t sitting well with everyone around the horseshoe. East Kent Councillor Steve Pinsonneault says it will kill the Bothwell Arena.
“This year’s been like no other one and if (the arenas) don’t remain open, the user groups will be gone forever,” Pinsonneault says. “Next year you’ll come and tell us there’s no usage, and at the end of 2021, the arena will be closed.”
The plan is that Erickson and Bothwell arenas will host sports such as ball hockey, volleyball, and pickleball, in an attempt to make arenas viable due to less demand this winter for ice from hockey and skating groups.
Other concerns raised include a lack of community consultation and competition from other indoor facilities such as the W.I.S.H. Centre and YMCA.
Councillor Brock McGregor says while not an ideal situation, we have to look for the silver lining.
“There’s a number of organizations that can’t find indoor space anywhere and would be very happy to see Erickson (Arena) repurposed,” the Ward Six councillor says. “We’re misrepresenting this as something bad in the community when it really is an opportunity during this pandemic to do something temporary to offer people more options to be active.”
Officials say all of Chatham-Kent’s ice needs can really be met by six of the municipality’s current 10 arenas.
