• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • RSS
  • Twitter
South Muskoka Doppler

South Muskoka Doppler

Read Local

  • Home
    • All Stories
    • Community Guidelines
  • COVID-19
  • News
  • Community
  • Commentary
    • Letters
  • Business
    • Professionally Speaking
  • Sports
  • Obituaries
  • Lifestyle
    • Entertainment
  • Events
    • Event Listings
    • Add Your Event
  • Speak Up, South Muskoka!
  • Subscribe
  • Donate
  • North Muskoka
  • Art Fx
You are here: Home / News / Arena decision swayed on 1,200 signatures
Photo from change.org

Arena decision swayed on 1,200 signatures

By Thomas Goyer On November 15, 2021 News

Share on Facebook
Facebook
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter
Share on LinkedIn
Linkedin
Email this to someone
email
Print this page
Print

According to members of Muskoka Lakes council, the decision not to put ice in the Bala Arena was never a done deal.

Muskoka Lakes Council voted to open and put ice into the arena this winter. This comes after two months of discussion over whether to close the facility for the season or potentially repurpose it. 

A report in September from municipal staff was submitted to council recommending that the Bala arena be closed for the winter season of 2021-22 citing a lack of demand. The report stated the arena in Port Carling would be able to support the local demand. At the finance meeting council requested that staff prepare a report on potential alternative uses for the Bala arena including using it as a walking track. 

At the October finance meeting council expressed support for putting ice in the Bala arena. Due to the provincial covid regulations at the time decided to agree to repurpose the arena for the winter season.

There was public support to keep the arena open including a petition started on change.org by Jill MacDonald received over 1200 supporters to keep the rink open. 

At the November 10th council meeting there were two residents who spoke before council. One of those was Dianne Davidson who discussed four local businesses who are supporting the arena and another who pledges to donate $1000 of ice time. The other resident was Fred Orchard who discussed the history of the arena and its connection to the community. Orchard ended his presentation by asking council to consider the harm closing the arena would have on children in Bala. 

“Please don’t let her kids down,” said Orchard

Councillors expressed support and discussed the importance of having a rink in Bala. Councillor Donelda Hayes focused on the loss for local families if the arena were to be closed. 

“Without the arena being open these opportunities for both single families and for larger events would be missed out and for the limited amount of recreation that there are four families in the wintertime. I think that it would be a shame to lose this.” Hayes said. 

Councillor Ruth-Ellen Nishikawa stated that the public has already made clear what council should do.

“But I believe that we just need to move forward because that is what the members of our community have said that they want,” Nishikawa said. 

Director of Public Works Ken Becking acknowledged that the current 2022 operating budget is based on the assumption that the Bala arena would be closed through the winter of 2022. He said that putting ice in the arena would increase arena expenditure up to between $275,000 and $285,000.

Councillor Glenn Zavitz questioned the reports from municipal staff that stated there was a lack of interest in using the Bala arena. 

“We were told in the staff report that the user groups were polled and there was minimal interest. And yet here we have 1200 people coming forward and saying we want ice. Certainly, if we’re going to change the level of service, which I’m hearing, hang on. That can’t be something I would support,” Zavitz said. 

Several councillors stated that the October decision to repurpose the Bala arena was made with the idea that ice would be put in the arena when possible. 

“When we had that document a month and a half ago we were in a different spot with COVID. I clearly remember it made sense at that time to leave the Bala arena closed. But I clearly remember the question being asked if things change how long will it take you Director back to checking to put the ice in, and that was four or five days. So I have to tell you that I left that meeting with the understanding that this was not a done deal for the winter. But at the that was the best decision at the point time, COVID has changed and so that’s why we’re back here now,” said councillor Barb Bridgeman.

Council voted unanimously to put ice back into the Bala arena for the winter season. 

Don’t miss out on Doppler!

Sign up here to receive our email digest with links to our most recent stories.
Local news in your inbox three times per week!

Click here to support local news

Reader Interactions

Join the discussion:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

All comments are moderated. Please ensure you include both your first and last name and abide by our community guidelines. Submissions that do not include the commenter's full name or that do not abide by our community guidelines will not be published.

Primary Sidebar

  • Recent Stories
  • Popular
  • July 18, 2022 3

    Councillor proposes Bracebridge-wide item swap weekends

  • August 6, 2022 3

    Is Muskoka going to the dogs?

  • July 14, 2022 2

    Cyclist struck in Gravenhurst

  • August 8, 2022 2

    Muskoka Lakes considers indoor lighting restrictions

  • July 29, 2022 1

    MAHC self-screening requirements for COVID-19 start July 28

  • August 12, 2022 0

     District passes accidental water leak policy

  • August 12, 2022 0

    Council considers basketball courts in Bala

  • August 12, 2022 0

    Dockside Festival and Muskoka Music Festival join forces

  • August 11, 2022 0

    Complaint leads to impaired charges in Gravenhurst

  • August 11, 2022 0

    Brenda Rhodes running for District council

  • 2021 Federal Election (1)
  • A Sponsored Profile (6)
  • Advertise (1)
  • Art Fx (13)
  • Breaking (2)

Footer

About Doppler

Established by a bunch of local news hounds, Doppler strives to be the go-to source for people wanting to know more about what is going on their community.

We strive to provide local news that is relevant and timely. We also look to tell local stories that inspire, inform and engage.

Notice the persistent use of the word local? Our mantra is local. South Muskoka Doppler serves the communities of Bracebridge, Gravenhurst and Muskoka Lakes with features on local people doing extraordinary things, local business spotlights, news and sports coverage, all supplemented by provocative opinion pieces on topics near and far. We are working hard for you.

Feel free to drop us a line at matt.driscoll@doppleronline.ca and tell us how we are doing, what you would like to see more of, or to just say ‘Hi’.

Thank you for reading Doppler.

South Muskoka Doppler – READ LOCAL
A division of C3 Digital Media Group Inc.

Bracebridge Ontario Canada
August 12, 2022, 11:33 pm
Clear
Clear
11°C
real feel: 12°C
current pressure: 1020 mb
humidity: 87%
wind speed: 0 m/s N
wind gusts: 1 m/s
UV-Index: 0
sunrise: 6:15 am
sunset: 8:30 pm
© 2022 AccuWeather, Inc.
 

Recent Comments

  • Jackson Triggs on Wakes, noise and speed: Lakes survey reflects growing frustrations
  • Robert Dyment on Graydon Smith faces charges laid by private citizen
  • brian sisler on One person dead, one injured in Bracebridge shooting
  • RJR on What on earth has happened to us? | Commentary
  • RJR on Is Muskoka going to the dogs?
  • Heather Boyce on Muskoka Lakes considers indoor lighting restrictions
  • Bob Braan on Muskoka Lakes considers indoor lighting restrictions
  • Bob Braan on Is Muskoka going to the dogs?

Copyright © 2022 ·Doppler Online, a division of C3 Digital Media Group Inc. · Log in
  • About
  • Support Local News
  • Advertise with us!
  • Community Guidelines
  • Contact