By Cecilia Nasmith/Today’s Northumberland
Ice-time user groups at the Haldimand Community Memorial Arena can count on stability for their ice times, following a motion at Tuesday’s committee-of-the-whole council meeting.
The vote was taken after an appearance from Tara Raymond of the Tuesday Night Ladies’ League and Dave Dunk of the East Northumberland Men’s League – groups that have held their current ice times for 26 years and 50-plus years respectively, and who are now being asked to change their regular ice times.
Raymond detailed how she complied with the request for her league’s ice times for 2025-2026, then received an email from Ann Lane saying, “Our allocation policy prioritizes partner groups and those focusing on youth programming. Grafton Minor Hockey has increased demand for ice time this year, leaving us without Tuesday availability. Would you have any interest in Saturday or Sunday evening ice time?”
She reached out to Grafton Minor Hockey to clarify, but they assured her they were not requesting additional ice time. In fact, they said, “If we had increased our usage, we would have reached out directly to you to see if we could work something else out, as your league has had that time slot behind us for more years than I can count.”
Raymond called Lane to recount this conversation.
“She quickly corrected me, stating that I was mistaken – the request came from the Northumberland Night Hawks,” she said, adding that this group has access to all arenas in Northumberland County.
She next reached out to Dunk, whose group plays directly after their own games.
“He had just found out their times were being pushed to 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. or split across the weekend.
He, too, was told it was Grafton Minor Hockey needing more time. Again – not true.”
At that point, the two groups decided to join forces, committed to seeing that neither adult league lost its slot.
Adult hockey is more than exercise, Raymond said.
“For many, it’s a lifeline – a space to connect, decompress and support one another. I can’t speak for the men, but I can speak for the women of Tuesday Night,” she stated.
“As adults, our friends’ groups shrink. We don’t have time to just ‘hang out.’ But adult sports create community. We may not talk in the off-season, but we know we’ll see each other in October – and pick up where we left off.
“We’ve faced cancer together. And we’ve beat cancer together. When a member – past or present – faces hardship, we rally.”
They also give back. They have helped fund-raise for Dressing Rooms 5 and 6, and contributed to the playground, mesh fencing, indoor fencing, heaters and stick holders. They have always stepped up when asked, she said.
“And now, as the Township asks for help and volunteers to build a new ice surface or arena – it’s deeply disappointing that we, the very people who built this community, are being displaced.”
Raymond pointed out that the men’s group has played at the arena since its ice first went in – “their history is quite literally tied to the foundation of this facility.”
Their request is to amend arena policy to give first priority to historical users.
“If a group gives up their time voluntarily, that time may then be offered to youth or other partner organizations,” she said.
“This is not just about ice time. This is about respecting history, community, commitment and the importance of adult sport in mental, emotional and social well-being.
“This isn’t just a good policy. It’s good community practice,” she declared, receiving a round of applause from the gallery.
Councillors expressed surprise that the groups were being displaced after so many years in a consistent slot.
“Staff prepared the policy that we looked at, and we approved it – we maybe did it a little bit too quickly and didn’t consider all the implications,” Mayor John Logel said.
Councillor Mike Ainsworth called for a motion to add a grandfather clause to protect long-time ice users from being displaced.
Councillor Greg Booth added that an important piece of the puzzle is missing. There should be an annual meeting of users before each new ice season begins to ensure that everyone is satisfied with the current schedule, and to work out solutions if they are not. The proposed motion was amended accordingly.
Booth also questioned Raymond’s term “historic,” which occasioned some debate. But his thought is that an annual review of this sort would ensure that any group could confirm its existing time for the coming year – or, if that is not satisfactory, work out a different one.
The mayor agreed with this approach.
“If you have (a slot) from the previous year, it’s yours to give away,” he summed up.
“Whoever is the current user group from the previous year comes back next year, and they have it unless they want to give it up,” Booth agreed.
“Current ice user groups should be grandfathered in, and any changes to ice allocations made at the meeting.”
Logel wondered if this comes too late to help Dunk’s and Raymond’s groups.
“With a couple of weeks to go (until hockey season), I would say no change to Tuesday night,” Booth said.
Councillor Mary Catherine O’Neill said this could be covered by saying that the base schedule to be grandfathered is the one from the previous year.
“That should cover what we are attempting to achieve here. It’s a good policy, moving forward,” O’Neill stated.
“Effective immediately,” Booth added.
The motion to that effect was passed to applause from the gallery.
