By Kurtis Elsner
A new arena at Carleton University is giving residents of Centretown and nearby communities a better chance at renting ice time, something that has been difficult to get from public rinks.
With the city’s 40 ice pads, as well as private rinks booked solid, especially during prime-time hours, Carleton’s two NHL-sized ice pads are a welcome addition to existing facilities.
The Carleton ice pads are a saving grace for Westboro resident Ken Nyhuus. For the past eight years Nyhuus, and his group of about 20 “old-timer” pickup hockey players, have been moving around Ottawa looking for ice time.
After being bumped last spring from the University of Ottawa’s rink to make way for school activities, Nyhuus’ group was worried that they might have to hang up their skates this season.
“We called around to the city, and it was very tough to get ice at a time that worked for all of us,” says Nyhuus. “Frankly, we understand, being a bunch of 30, 40, and 50-year-old guys, we’re not a priority.”
But when a friend told him about Carleton’s new rinks, Nyhuus says he was given new hope. He called Carleton, and was pleased to find out that ice time was still available. While the new 10:30 p.m. slot was not as ideal as their old 7:30 p.m. time at University of Ottawa, they were still grateful, says Nyhuus.
“We were thrilled to get it. It’s a sign of how keen and desperate we were for ice time.”
Stories like Nyhuus’ come as no surprise to city officials, who admit there is a shortage of available ice. Adults are often relegated to non-prime hours, if they get time at all, says Pierre Blais, a spokesperson for the City of Ottawa’s allocation department.
“[Ice time] priorities have to meet the Parks and [Recreation] mandate,” says Blais. “Introductory levels take priority over intermediate levels.” He also says non-profit groups have priority.
The majority of the city’s rink time is dedicated to sports like minor hockey, ringette and figure skating.
However, as enrolment in minor sports grows, even these preferred groups will have trouble securing enough ice time. Most of these groups are already allotted less time than they need and are forced to share with other teams, says Blais.
“Their numbers are increasing, and we don’t have the hours to provide them with an optimal level,” says Blais.
Because of this growing shortage, Carleton’s new rinks come at an opportune time. And while minor leagues do rent from Carleton, the school does not necessarily give preference to certain groups when allocating ice time.
“We’re not affiliated with the City of Ottawa,” says Keith Bray, arena manager at Carleton.
“If Jane Doe or John Smith wants to rent the ice time, they call us up and we have a procedure to allocate ice times.”
Public renters won’t have to worry about cutting into student time either. Carleton had planned in advance to divide the time between public and university use when they built the arena, says Drew Love, Carleton’s director of athletics. Daytime hours during the week will be dedicated to Carleton staff and students, while evenings and weekends will be available to the public.
Since city ice time is subsidized, it will cost renters more to use the Carleton rinks, says Bray. Carleton’s current rate for prime-time ice is $215 an hour, plus GST.
Nyhuus says he is satisfied with Carleton’s price, which is on par with what they paid at the University of Ottawa.
Carleton officials are also quick to point out that renters are getting more for their money. The rinks have 12 dressing rooms, and are equipped with climate control that will keep the ice open year-round. There will also be a number of services, such as a pro-shop and restaurant onsite.
Bray says those wishing to rent Carleton ice time should act quickly.
“We’re probably around 85 per cent sold-out. We have hours that are available. If you’re flexible, we can find you ice time.”