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By Chantal Wagner

finding ice time

Local sports organizations discuss the impact of indefinite facility closures

Dec 9, 2020 | 4:31 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – With the city’s announcement of the indefinite closure of the Moose and Crestwood recreation centres along with the Heights Pool in 2021, teams and clubs are trying to find available ice times elsewhere in the city.

Medicine Hat Minor Hockey practices out of the Moose Arena.

Minor Hockey operations manager Chad Baron says the closure will definitely change the dynamics of how they schedule and the number of teams they can run from their association.

But with no WHL Tigers hockey right now, minor hockey has been able to skate at Co-op Place.

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He says that can continue in the meantime, but there’s a struggle with not enough ice to go around.

“Prime ice is always a priority for all the user groups, figure skating, skating clubs, and private users. All of us clamouring for that prime ice between 4:30-8:30 slot during the week so it will probably affect the way we have to operate practices and things like that. We may have to look at weekday mornings before school if possible.”

Baron says they can look at Redcliff and Irvine facilities if need be to operate out of there as well.

Once tournaments are allowed again, he says a facility closure also creates issues again with scheduling and limits the number of tournaments they’ll be able to host.

“Traditionally Medicine Hat is a hub city and has been a popular spot for teams to come for tournaments,” Baron added.

Meantime, the Medicine Hat Waves Swim Club sent Chat News a statement about the Crestwood Pool closure where they practice.

“We are very disappointed with the news of the indefinite closure of the Crestwood Pool, it was a great community pool in the south part of the city. The City is working very hard to accommodate us at the FLC. The City is aware of how this has impacted our swim club and they are working with us to help keep us swimming.”

– Medicine Hat Waves Swim Club

Hockey and many other sports and activities will be on pause for a minimum of four weeks with the new restrictions starting Sunday, December 13.