Ice Users Task Group

Sport Creating Sport Solutions

Background

The Calgary Sport Council facilitated an inaugural meeting with Calgary-area ice user groups on March 27^th, 2007 to discuss the increasing concern about the ongoing shortage of ice for skaters in Calgary.

The organizations represented were Skate Canada – Calgary Region, Hockey Calgary, Southern Alberta Women’s Hockey Association, Girls Hockey, Ringette Calgary, CODA, City of Calgary Recreation, Arena Managers Association and the Calgary Sport Council. 

The five meetings held to date by this newly formed Ice Users Task Group have fostered an understanding of each other’s needs and demonstrated a willingness of sport groups to explore new ways of working together for the benefit of all amateur sport groups.

The Ice Users Task Group will work cooperatively to find innovative solutions to ice shortage issues in Calgary - not enough ice time for practice, not enough ice time for games or competitions, having to turn away potential skaters (i.e. capping numbers), to name just a few.  The group will make recommendations to the Calgary Sport Council on matters concerning ice utilization and allocation.

The Ice Users Task Group has developed the following Mandate to guide their work moving forward:

• In the short-term, suggest ways to effectively utilize the current ice supply as the ice inventory will remain relatively stable for the next  five years.

• Develop a longer-term ice allocation plan

• Suggest policies for future ice allocation and utilization.

The group also agreed that their work would be guided by the four True Sport core values: fairness, excellence, inclusion and fun.  (http://www.truesportpur.ca/ )

Lastly, the group agreed that any solutions generated should reflect the Long Term Athlete Development Model (LTAD) as developed by Sport Canada.  (http://www.ltad.ca)

The Ice Users Task Group would like your input:  

·         Feedback on Ice Optimization strategies

·         Input on the ice shortage issues and potential solutions.

Click here to provide input