Residents delivered a loud and clear message to council telling them not to close any of the arenas in Grey Highlands.
A large crowd of close to 100 people packed into the Rocklyn Community Centre – which includes an arena – on Aug. 15 for a special council meeting. Speaker after speaker told council that the community does not want to see any arenas closed.
Emmerley Lewis, the current Rocklyn Fall Fair ambassador, made an emotional plea to council to make sure the Rocklyn rink remains operational.
“It’s more than just a building. It holds memories, it holds history,” Lewis said, noting that she is the fourth generation of her family to participate in activities at the arena. “I’ve grown up here. I took my first-ever skates here on this ice. If you get rid of our ice surface, there is so much that will leave. You’re going to lose so much, so quick.”
Council’s recent deliberations on the community’s draft recreation master plan placed the future of the municipality’s four arenas/ice surfaces front of mind for many residents at the meeting. The report, which council debated extensively at two (first meeting, second meeting) recent committee of the whole meetings, suggests the municipality should consider decommissioning an ice surface for cost savings. At the committee level, council narrowly voted to consider the option.
Dave Clarke, a former member of council and a member of the Friends of Rocklyn Arena group, said it’s important for the rink to continue operating as a full-fledged arena.
“This facility is a hub to a number of community groups,” said Clarke. “It’s important that our facility stay active and open.”
Dianne Booker told council that Rocklyn has held 154 successful fall fairs, with the arena acting as host since it opened.
“We’d like to continue to have our fairs in this facility,” said Booker.
Feversham resident Stan Lougheed said he has spent 40 years volunteering at the arena in his community helping to organize events and fundraisers and doing improvement work on the facility and the property.
“I’ve been there at quarter to four in the morning. Talk to us, don’t talk at us,” Lougheed told council. “These arenas are very personal. There are a lot of personal feelings in them.”
Members of council made efforts to assure residents at the meeting that none of the community’s four arenas are on the chopping block.
“Our arenas and our halls are the heart and soul of the community they are in,” said Deputy Mayor Dane Nielsen. “No arena is slated to be closed and none will be during this term of council.”
Councillors Dan Wickens and Tom Allwood said they are opposed to any arena closures.
“They’re the lifeblood of our communities,” said Allwood.
Wickens said local residents for decades had worked hard for their local facilities.
“I’m not in favour of closing any ice surfaces. Period. The community built them. They’re here. They’re paid for.”
Other concerns raised by local residents and speakers at the meeting included: the ongoing process to update the Grey Highlands zoning bylaw, how the municipality communicates with its residents and ratepayers and the growing number of on-farm diversified uses in lands zoned agricultural.
Mayor Paul McQueen said improving communications will be a priority.
“We have to improve communications tenfold. We’ve heard that,” said McQueen.
