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.
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