The Muskoka Bears have cleared another hurdle to join the Huntsville Otters in the Jr. C Provincial Junior Hockey League (PJHL).
During the most recent Bracebridge General Committee meeting, councillors voted unanimously to sign a five-year lease with the Muskoka Bears for the use of the under-construction Muskoka Lumber Arena.
Mayor Rick Maloney said he’s met with organizers and likes what he sees thus far.
“They bring a lot of expertise to the table. They bring a lot of understanding of hockey but they also bring a lot of understanding of the community,” said Maloney.
However, Maloney also pointed out that several teams based out of Bracebridge during the past decade have run into “financial challenges.” He asked staff what’s been done to reduce risk to the Town.
Cindy O’Regan, the Town’s director of recreation, said the primary difference is this club is a not-for-profit organization sanctioned under the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA). She said OHA has a “rigorous process” of vetting potential owners, including the owners of the Muskoka Bears.
The OHA has been the governing body for the majority of junior and senior level hockey in Ontario since 1890, unlike some of the teams that have occupied the Bracebridge Memorial Arena in recent years and have come from more newly formed leagues.
While the committee voted unanimously to approve the lease, the decision must still be ratified by the Town Council during their Nov. 15 meeting.
The PJHL is a Canadian junior ice hockey league spanning parts of Southern Ontario and includes the Huntsville Otters.
If all goes according to plan, the PJHL season for the Muskoka Bears is set to commence in mid-September 2024. The club will have approximately 20 players on their roster and will play 21 home games, plus playoffs. The majority of their games will be played on Friday evenings after 6:00 p.m. and two practices per week will be held on weekdays.
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