The Osprey Arena in Feversham will get a female changeroom for the upcoming hockey season.
At its meeting on July 5, Grey Highlands council approved a staff report that recommended temporarily converting a storage room behind the arena’s kitchen to a new girl’s changeroom. This will be a temporary measure and council also gave the thumbs up to staff putting together a 2024 budget process proposal for a female changeroom to be permanently added to the arena.
In May, council received a delegation from the Osprey Recreational Centre Board requesting the municipality build a temporary girl’s changeroom in storage space near the ice resurfacer room.
Municipal staff studied this option, but recommended against using that space for the project as they found some safety concerns.
Instead, staff suggested another storage area in the arena be converted to a girl’s changeroom for the coming season.
“We do need to think long-term,” said Deputy Mayor Dane Nielsen, when the report was considered by council.
Staff will be returning with further estimates about a permanent addition for the changeroom during the 2024 budget process. Preliminary estimates pegged the project cost at $25,000.
The changeroom was requested for the female players who are part of mixed teams.
