BANFF – Politicians have called a time out on the Banff Hockey Academy’s bid for use of additional space at the Fenlands recreation centre at no cost.
Council, which seems to have an appetite to consider a special rate for the academy, a commercial hockey school in its 25th year in the community, has directed administration to return on Sept. 24 with fee options for BHA’s request.
“How you vote on these options on Sept. 24 remains to be seen, but I’m prepared to look at some options,” said Mayor Karen Sorensen during a council meeting Monday (Sept. 10).
A standing operating lease with the Town of Banff gives BHA exclusive use to a physio room, office, storage room, gym and three high performance change rooms that have no showers or washrooms.
Historically, BHA was provided some free access to non-exclusive facilities, but the agreement indicates BHA may book and pay for use of the remaining facilities under the municipality’s listed rental rates.
BHA is looking for fees to be waived for access to public dressing rooms and washrooms outside of scheduled bookings; free use of the dry floor and meeting rooms, modification to leasehold area for dryer ventilation as well as advertising space.
If fees were charged, BHA would be on the hook for $12,500 for operational costs.
Billy Doherty, president of Banff Hockey Academy, said discussions with administration has led to a “tenuous relationship”.
He said the main request is to have access to space as it was intended when the group agreed to the recreation centre expansion.
“The final design was a result of a collaborative spirit that agreed to “share” space when it was not in use at no extra charge to the program,” said Doherty.
“This, of course, excluded any ice usage, but did include meeting room space, dry floor use in the spring/summer and access to our dressing rooms and shared washrooms.”
Doherty said there have been significant changes to how the academy has access, and given an ever-challenging schedule balancing school and athletic training, the ability to be flexible with off-ice training is important.
He said the hockey school is looking for access to all adjacent rooms to the Varsity, Prep and Girls room for the 1:45 p.m. to 5:45 training block for students to change into workout gear and coaches to prepare for on-ice practices.
“As we are the only user on the Arena 2 side during this training block, there is no conflict to other users,” he said.
“In most cases, assigning dressing room 5 for other users to the ice slot following BHA ice times would solve any potential overlapping challenges by other users.”
BHA also wants after-hours access to the showers and bathrooms adjacent to team dressing rooms, as well as for teams to have access to dressing rooms 90 to 120 minutes prior to games following complaints from visiting league members.
In addition, Doherty said coaches would like access to dressing room 9 when no other group is on Arena 2 side so coaches and student players can dress separately - a practice recommended by Hockey Canada.
“If a minor hockey user were to have a gender conflict and is assigned a dressing room, this room would be assigned to them at no cost,” he said. “We have a coach-player conflict.”
Amanda Arbuckle, the Town’s manager of recreation services, said BHA is permitted access to public washrooms when the facility is both open and closed to the general public.
She said the request for use of the washroom and shower facilities next to the high performance rooms after hours could be provided, but there are janitorial costs because these facilities may be rented by another group the following day.
“Additionally, as with all other ice rentals, the BHA is presently assigned dressing rooms 45 minutes prior to and 30 minutes following scheduled ice times,” she said.
Coun. Grant Canning said he could not support waiving fees because BHA is a commercial organization.
“Ultimately what we’re being asked is to provide an exception to the fees and charges bylaws and that’s really creating a can of worms because we might get other similar requests,” he said.
“I’m happy to provide access, but ultimately they should be responsible for the fees.”
Councillor Brian Standish voiced strong support for looking at fee options.
“BHA has been a partner with the Town of Banff for last 25 years and they are the Fenlands’ biggest ice user,” he said. “I think they deserve for us to cut them some slack.”
Average annual revenue, inclusive of leasehold and ice rental from BHA for the past three years is $146,350. Based on current ice bookings, estimated revenues for 2018 for exclusive and non-exclusive use is $117,500.
