HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News Record, 2014-03-12, Page 22 News Record • Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Bluewater stays firm on removing Bayfield ice
Gerard Creces
Clinton News -Record
A silent second of disbelief was followed by
tears and cries of "shame on you" after Blue -
water Council voted down a request to allow
a citizens' group to keep the ice in Bayfield
Arena Monday, March 3.
More than 50 people were in the gallery for
the council meeting, which began with a
presentation by Bill Whetstone and Ron Keys
- members of the Bayfield Arena Community
Partners.
The community group surveyed Bayfield
residents and arena users and found 81 per
cent of people were in favour of keeping the
ice and collected more than 400 signatures
on a petition. Monday's meeting began with
a pitch to council to allow the group to create
a management group for the arena and
actively promote the ice as well as other
activities for the other seven months of year
when the ice is out.
It all boiled down to a single request -
rescind the decision to remove the ice
permanently.
The gallery was packed with arena sup-
porters for the vote, in which Mayor Bill Dow -
son, Deputy -Mayor Paul Klopp, Councilors
John Becker and Geordie Palmer all voted to
allow the citizens group to keep the ice going.
Couns Tyler Hessel, Janisse Zimmerman, Kay
Wise, George Irvin and Dave Roy voted to
take the ice out. Coun. John Gillespie was
away for the meeting, but expressed his sup-
port for the community group. Either way,
the vote would have been defeated.
Among the BACP's ideas were a four -sea-
son approach to the arena, developing a
business and marketing plan, involving
council on a board of management and seek
indoor sports, trade shows, weddings and
other events to fill the arena and generate the
revenue needed to keep the ice open.
"It's something we need to do and some-
thing we can do very easily," said Whetstone
during his presentation to council.
Prior to the vote, Jessica VanAaken - a
longtime member of the Bayfield Skating
Club - made a plea to council, noting the
small size of the arena was perfect for being
able to teach young skaters, and helped build
many long-lasting relationships in the
community.
However, Hessel noted that while arenas in
Zurich and Hensall both had more than 40
hours a week in rented ice time, Bayfield was
only half of that. Hessel added he helped col-
lect signatures to save the ice back in 2005
when there was 36 hours of paid rentals.
While he said he would miss the 4-5 hours of
ice time he currently has at the Bayfield
arena, the decision is in the best interest of
the future of the facility.
Mayor Dowson said if the community was
willing to find a way to pay the bills, they
should be given the opportunity.
"I'11 be very disappointed if we don't give
them the chance," he said.
Zimmerman said prior to the vote that
marketing and operations were beyond the
duties of council, adding the motion was
confusing, sending a message that the ice will
remain open even as its future was
uncertain.
Palmer, the councilor for Bayfield, sug-
gested a moratorium on taking the ice out
after the vote failed, however procedural
rules prevented the move from happening. In
order to revisit the issue, there would need to
be two-thirds support from council.
Following the meeting, community mem-
bers were visibly upset, consoling each other
outside the building and expressing their dis-
belief at what had just taken place.
Whetstone said the BACP is not done yet,
and will come back to the table after
regrouping.
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