Team has nowhere to play after Ches Leach incident

Speaking via telephone on Sunday, the team’s founder, Brady Leachman, said the team has not been contacted directly by the City about the incident or any damage to the facility. He said the team found out about the City’s statements through news reports and social media.

Leachman said he is shocked the City went public about this before contacting the Crown Royals’ players. As well, he would like the City to inform him about the extent of the damage caused and what exactly was damaged.

“I actually heard yesterday [about the ban] because the organizer of the hockey league that we play in called me and said ‘you guys aren’t allowed to play anymore.’”

The organizer told Leachman the team’s next game, which was to take place on Monday, was cancelled and the Crown Royals have to “figure something out” or let the league know when things are “straightened out.”

The Ernie Heit Memorial Hockey League confirmed the team has been banned from playing at the City’s rinks. Mayor Greg Dionne said that a letter was sent to the team.

“It came as a shock to us, because it has nothing to doing what we love, playing hockey. Like, I don’t understand why it had to come to that, I don’t find it very necessary,” Leachman said. The team is also not allowed to rent any City-owned facilities.

Leachman, who founded the team three years ago, said last year when the team split in two and one team held an event at the Ches Leach Lounge without incident.

On Dec. 21, Leachman was at the Ches Leach Lounge until 1 a.m., working at the front doors, taking tickets and checking identification.

He believes some of the damage to the Ches Leach Lounge may have been caused previously. “Supposedly, we smashed thermostat guards off the wall. And when I was looking around that place I didn’t see any thermostat guards at all when we got there,” Leachman said.

The City recommended a security company for the event, and they hired four security guards from the Commissionaires. He said two guards stood at the front door making sure no alcohol was leaving the hall or coming in.

No one from Commissionaires’ office was available for comment on Sunday, but a manager would be available for comment on Monday.

The team hired a bartender, who shut down the bar at the right time and cut off people who were intoxicated, according to Leachman. The team did contact the police at closing time, and attendees were waiting outside of the Art Hauser Centre for taxis, as well, he added.

“We didn’t profit [or] anything off of this dance and now … there’s no money in our team bank account, we paid our fees for the league, we can’t play, we can’t get the money back for that. It’s very disappointing, honestly.”

In the statement, the team said that nearing the end of the dance, members of the team heard there was an altercation involving a guest and a City employee. The team stated its members were unaware at the time, are still unsure of the details, but none of the Crown Royals were involved.

Leachman was not present at the venue when the assault took place, and said he received no complaints and there were no fights among people in the crowd, as well.

The events of that day are currently under investigation by the Prince Albert Police Service, and are the subject of an internal investigation by the City of Prince Albert. And now, the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority and Prince Albert’s bylaw department will be looking at whether or not the host adhered to the rules surrounding the liquor licence for the event, according to Mayor Greg Dionne.

On Sunday, Dionne explained the City went public about the incident now because it had to conduct an investigation, which he said was difficult to do during the holiday season.

“When we were in a position in our investigation to take action, we did,” he said. Dionne said security was present at the Art Hauser Centre at the time.

He didn’t have specific information about the kind of damage that had been done in the Ches Leach Lounge, but said there was “quite a bit of stuff broken.” He put the dollar value of the damage done in the $3,000 range.

Some of the damage has already been repaired, he said. For other items that have not yet been repaired, the City is waiting for the needed parts to make the fixes.

The assaulted City worker is now back on the job. Dionne emphasized the assault was against a female employee, which, he said makes it even worse.

“No assault is acceptable, but you touch a female and it brings it to a different level. Because everyone has the right to feel safe at work.”

As for why it was important for the City to come forward about the incident, Dionne said “we have to send a clear message to the public and to our staff, that we are going to stand solid behind our staff when an incident like this happens. Their safety is paramount to us.”

He said the other reason the City made this public was because you have to make it public.

“If an incident happens on City-owned property, [there’s] going to be a large investigation and you also want people to know that this is not going to be tolerated.”

When it comes to the team’s defence that its players weren’t involved in the assault, Dionne emphasized the team rented the facility and got the liquor licence, so the team is responsible.

“Who let the people in? They did. When the wrong people showed up, the question should have been asked of them, did you phone the police to get them thrown out? Did you take their money for booze? Did you take their money for admission? All those questions, the answer is yes.”

There’s also the possibility that City policies may change in light of this incident. The current policies regarding venue rentals are being reviewed, and Dionne said the same policies have been in place for years.

“And everyone has respected it. We have not had an incident. This is one of our most major incidents since we started operating the Ches Leach room,” he said.

One thing the City will do, he said, is tighten up and add more security at the Ches Leach Lounge. Security guards have in the past just been stationed at the entrance to the building. In the future, he said there will be security at the door as well as in the hall on the upper level.

He said all options are being looked at – this could include the installation of security cameras.

“We’re just shocked … I think we’re shocked,” Dionne said. “It just shows again some of the issues we have to deal with to tighten up our operations. And that will happen. We’ll have a couple of reviews ongoing while the process happens.”

The Crown Royals, too, are looking ahead at what to do next. Leachman said he’ll be contacting the City and would like to speak with Dionne and the managers of the Ches Leach Lounge.

Having hockey taken away from them has been very disappointing to the team, Leachman said.

“This is all we do. We work, we eat, we sleep and we play hockey … It’s our favourite hobby to do. We’ve been playing hockey all our lives together and it’s just awesome that this league was set up for us to have a chance to keep playing once we got out of minor hockey. And now it’s just being taken right away from us, out of our hands, and I just don’t feel that it’s right.”

tjames@panow.com

On Twitter: @thiajames

by Thia James

Team has nowhere to play after Ches Leach incident

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