James Mays hopes the city will consider keeping ice at Kinsmen on a reduced schedule. (file photo/paNOW Staff)

By Michael Joel-Hansen

Minor sports

Minor hockey association weighs in on new facility

Sep 10, 2019 | 4:56 PM

Prince Albert Minor Hockey is reacting to the news that Prince Albert will be getting a new recreation centre.

Technical Director James Mays said since the announcement late last week there has been excitement in the local hockey community. The new $60 million facility will include two ice rinks with room to seat 800 people.

“We’re really looking forward to it,” Mays said.

He said many of the arena facilities in the city are on the older side. He explained one of the main challenges they have to deal with in the current facilities is not having enough dressing rooms, or rooms that are too small.

“It’s been a long time coming,” he said.

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Looking forward to the design phase of the project, Mays said they believe the city will be coming to them for input. He said they have people in the organization who have been around the country and saw many different facilities which have dual ice surfaces. Mays said while there are many design options, the hope is to find what works best for the community.

“We’ll throw that all on the table and go from there,” he said.

When the new facility opens, the City of Prince Albert is planning to tear down the Dave G. Steuart Arena, while the Kinsmen Arena will no longer have ice installed. Mays said he is not completely sure what the plans are going forward, but he said he would like to see the city consider keeping ice in the Kinsmen on a reduced schedule.

“Even if the Kinsmen ice got kept in for, like four months in the winter, we would certainly be able to use it,” he said.

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MichaelJoel.Hansen@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @mjhskcdn