Irvine Minor Hockey feels there are still uncertainties with proposed new Dunmore facility decision coming soon

Justin Seward
Commentator/Courier

With a proposed $10-millon Dunmore training/ice facility just completing the public consultation process in the summer, it has left one local minor hockey association with uncertainties that hopefully will be
cleared up in the near future.
“Right now the biggest thing for minor hockey out in Irvine is trying to get the information we need,” said Irvine Minor Hockey president Sheridan Siewert.
“We’d like to support a facility in the county because we think there is opportunity for our kids to get a little more ice time. But that being said, our association is based out of the Irvine Sports Complex, so at the end of the day if that facility is going to cut into some funding, that’s a concern for us on our end because at the end of the day we need to protect our minor hockey association.”
Funding that could be effected with a new facility is Cypress County’s day-to-day expenses of the complex and some ice rentals outside of minor hockey will move from Irvine to Dunmore that the Ag Society could see, he added.
“Irvine Minor Hockey could only rent so much ice if they’re losing revenue based off people playing in Dunmore rather than Irvine,” said Siewert.
“Eventually we feel that could trickle down and effect minor hockey.”
The goal is to have more answers to long-term investment in the current facility.
“We think we have a lot of years left in this facility, but it does need some financial upgrades.
“Right now that’s what we’re looking for from the county that this facility won’t be neglected for the new one to be built.”
Siewert says that minor hockey and the county have had meetings that have gone fairly well with providing the information they have asked for but there are still lots of questions that need to be asked and answered.
“ I think they’re just looking for all the answers. I think they’re doing a lot of research and they’ve got a group answering all the questions.
“I don’t think there is any decisions that can be made. I think they’re still gathering the information and seeing where it goes from there.”
Minor hockey felt they were left out of the consultation process to an extent because there was no contact with Sage Analytics until representatives push the county a bit.
“I think now we have our foot in the door where we’re getting the information we need from them,” said Siewert.
Cypress County Chief Administrative Officer Tarolyn Aaserud said after the open houses there are still a lot of unknowns.
“The stakeholders and user groups need to share (concerns) because there’s a lot of things that we wouldn’t consider. We need their expertise on this,” said Aaserud.
“What happens is Sage Analytics puts this report together. It has no recommendations. It just puts in exactly what the people who participated, the user groups and the stake holders, what their thoughts are.”
Aaserud said “Get your questions in,” if there are concerns.
“We’re all waiting and seeing what Cypress County stakeholders, rate payers (and) user groups thoughts are. This is just step two of a very long process.”

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