Small-town hockey rinks feeling the effects of an uncertain season

One thing being forgotten in a fall without hockey is all the small towns.

For many in small towns, life in the winter is centred around the rink. With no date for a return of competitive hockey, some of these towns could be forced to prop up the local rink.

In Allan, the Logan Schatz Memorial Arena has offered ice times at a much cheaper rate than Saskatoon rinks for years. Being roughly 60 kilometres away from the province’s largest city, the rink relies on rentals from Saskatoon teams to stay operational each year.

“It just kind of brings it down to perspective of what are we keeping our rink open for?” Allan and District Communiplex president Matthew Holtorf said. “Sometimes I feel that all we’re doing is keeping it open for people in Saskatoon to have cheap ice.”

Holtorf is part of a growing number of rink managers across the province wondering what to do with the start of hockey season undecided.

Although there is optimism that competitive games could return sometime in December, Holtorf feels COVID-19 will disrupt the rink’s business model like it has for hundreds of other industries.

A typical 90-minute session at Allan’s rink costs roughly $200, with day rates dropping that price further. In Saskatoon, the same amount of time is offered at upwards of $400, but with no games or large tournaments, Holtorf wonders if there’s any appetite from hockey parents in Saskatoon to scoop up ice times 35 minutes down the road.

“When (teams) come out here, they find it a bit lucrative,” Holtorf said. “But to come out here for an hour-and-a-half practice to save $25 a kid isn’t lucrative.”

When to flood the rink is another obstacle.

Keeping the ice plant running costs roughly $10,000 a month. Holtorf figures two rentals a day or 50 rentals a month is what’s needed to keep the rink operational, something that’s only possible with Saskatoon’s involvement.

“It’s going to be very hard to find 50 bookings of practices to break even,” he said.

The rink board decided to flood the rink on Nov. 1 after a heated meeting, but Holtorf said that decision could be revisited. There are discussions happening with nearby Colonsay to help share costs. Holtorf is hoping Colonsay can honour Allan’s current bookings until colder temperatures arrive in December so natural ice can be used.

“I think it will be best for both towns,” Holtorf said.

Saskatchewan Hockey Association general manager Kelly McClintock is aware of the challenges small town rinks are facing.

How do you fundraise? Do you open the kitchen?

“A lot of communities are having that discussion now, and that’s also why we need the imperative for the government to give us a date when we can start games,” he said.

Rink burgers are also a staple at many towns across Saskatchewan. With no tournaments or large gatherings, kitchens that keep rinks profitable will be largely inactive this winter.

Holtorf said the Allan rink kitchen, which brings in roughly $30,000 by the end of the winter, will remain closed. Without that revenue, when to lay down ice becomes an even more controversial decision.

“If we opened up with the (ice) plant, it would be a huge hit,” Holtorf said.

Through conversations with hockey parents in Saskatoon, Holtorf doesn’t imagine there will be 50 bookings per month throughout the winter.

“They’re not going to do it. They just don’t want to drive out here — they just don’t have the time,” Holtorf said, noting a lack of carpooling makes the trip even more difficult. “It’s not worth it when you have to drive 35 minutes one way.”