Chatham-Kent officials under pressure to open municipal ice rinks say it is a provincial responsibility but they are working on plans for when they're allowed to reopen.
All arenas across Ontario should be closed right now unless they're privately operated or have elite and competitive athlete training, which is permitted under a provincial exemption. CK council recently agreed to keep all municipal arenas closed until September 1. Blackburn News has learned some hockey players and hockey teams have resorted to going outside the region to get ice time in Komoka, London, and Windsor. CK CAO Don Shropshire said all local ice rinks, big and small, will open at the same time and under the same rules when it's safe. Despite some fears in the community, Shropshire said there are no plans to shut down any arena right now.
"There is no plan to close the Bothwell Arena this year. All of the arenas would be treated on the same basis in terms of when the health authorities think it's safe to do so. Then we'd be reopening the arenas," said Shropshire.
Shropshire said closure and consolidation of any municipal building would need council approval first.
"Any sort of a review of our infrastructure or where things are going to go is really going to be a council deliberation and that normally occurs as part of an overall budget and planning process," he added.
Shropshire said there has been discussion at council to consolidate municipal buildings but nothing has been set in stone yet.
"We've got about 175 municipal buildings and is there a way we can reduce the cost to the taxpayer by trying to consolidate people and fewer buildings or services and what is that going to look like," said the CAO.
CK Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Colby said COVID-19 health and safety protocols, such as limiting the number of people inside, will be in place when the arenas open. Colby said CK is following provincial orders and he hasn't ordered anything more severe than what the province is mandating.