City policy could keep some Cold Lake, Alta., minor hockey players off ice, league says

Some minor hockey officials in Cold Lake, in northeastern Alberta, are worried players in non-profit leagues could lose ice team, after the city changed how it prioritizes ice sporting events to try to generate more revenue for local businesses.

Amendments to the Arena and Athletic Field Use and Allocation Policy, which were approved in March, give "special events" and tournaments precedence over local youth sports organizations for its rinks.

"It's very disheartening," Melissa Coggar, president of Cold Lake Minor Hockey, said while on CBC Radio's Edmonton AM.

Coggar is concerned her association — which is part of Hockey Alberta, doesn't cap registration and works with other organizations, like Kids Sports, to help families be able to afford to play — now falls below groups like the Premier Hockey League, a standalone for-profit association with minor teams peppered throughout the province.

"[The city is] focused more on for-profit than we are non-profit," Coggar said.

The decision was made to provide avenues that would push more resources into the local economy, said Mayor Craig Copeland, adding that, historically, council has overlooked such opportunities.

"If you're bringing in a tournament of a magnitude where people are going to be staying in our hotels, that is a big deal for our council, because a lot of our hotels are virtually empty," Copeland said.

He added that other businesses, like restaurants, would also get a boost from visitors.

"Here's an opportunity to give back to the business community, by having these big tournaments in our community," he said.

Coggar argued non-profit leagues do help the city's economy, except "we do not fill the hotels when we have our teams come."

Cold Lake, with a population around 17,500, has four ice-rinks, Copeland said, which is plenty for minor hockey leagues to work with.

"There are communities in Alberta that would give a lot for that kind of ratio," he said. 

Council can designate a bigger arena, like Cold Lake Energy Centre, when bigger groups come for tournaments during weekends, leaving three other rinks for the minor hockey leagues, Copeland said.

"Council does not distinguish a 13-year-old hockey player between the Premier Hockey League and Cold Lake Minor Hockey," he said.