Rinks in York Region reopen to hockey but not everyone will be lacing up skates

Aurora, Newmarket among programs planning to face off in coming days

Yorkregion.com
Feb. 24, 2021
John Cudmore

Youth hockey is returning to some local rinks as York Region skates into the red zone.

Yet, while some organizations will resume limited activities later this week or next, players in some centres are benched for the remainder of the season.

Participation is a hodgepodge across the region as organizations planning to restart seasons hastily pull together programming for members.

Activity for some resumes when municipalities reinstall ice surfaces removed when the province went into lockdown two months ago.

In some centres, ice will not be reinstalled for short-term use at all, prompting some organizations to cancel the 2020-21 season weeks ago.

The Ontario government announced Feb. 19 that York Region was jumping from complete lockdown to the less-restrictive red zone as of Feb. 22.

Under red guidelines, up to 10 players and three coaches are permitted on ice. Games and scrimmages are not permitted due to public health regulations so coaches can only provide skills development drills.

A provincewide lockdown announced before Christmas was the latest blow to a season already severely impacted by COVID-19 restrictions.

The Ontario Hockey Federation, which governs youth hockey in the province, including the York Simcoe Minor Hockey League, has cancelled its championships for the season.

Still, some contend any activity is better than none.

“This gives kids some sort of normalcy,” said Aurora Minor Hockey Association president Joe Bentolila, noting his organization is prepared to offer programming into April and May. “It’s important for them to be out there with their peers. As long as we have enough ice to fulfil our program, I’m happy.”

Bentolila hopes to secure 80 to 90 hours on a weekly basis from the Town of Aurora.

“We’ve been in the mentality to try and give kids whatever we can. It’s important to have kids on the ice even if it is only instructional. Maybe we will get to the orange level and able to have games.”

The Town of Aurora intends to have four rinks ready by March 1 for figure skating and several hockey groups, including the Jr. A Tigers and Central York Girls Hockey Association.

Programs in East Gwillimbury, Newmarket and Markham are awaiting their municipalities’ commitment to ice installations before fully determining action.

In Newmarket, ice started going back into rinks over the weekend and activity could be running again by March 1. Same for Markham.

“We’re reviewing our plan and will be making a decision in the next couple of days,” said City of Markham director of recreation, Mary Creighton. “We haven’t see new red zone legislation yet.”

Ice was removed from five of Markham’s eight municipal rinks earlier this winter.

In Bradford, activity is expected to resume March 8 after ice is reinstalled.

Several organizations, including Georgina, Whitchurch-Stouffville, King Township (including NobleKing and Schomberg), and Richmond Hill earlier announced conclusions to their winter seasons and initiated registration refund efforts for members.

“This decision not only reflects the continued priority of the health and well-being of our players, coaches, officials, and volunteers,” said president Mark Augustin on the Richmond Hill Hockey Association website. “But also an assessment of the time it would take for ice to be reinstalled by the city and restart programming relative to time remaining in the season.

“We understand it’s a disappointing decision, but feel it’s appropriate under the circumstances.”

Whitchurch-Stouffville Minor Hockey Association president Mike McGuire said it is possible, if ice is reinstalled in Stouffville rinks, a spring program may be considered.

“The town took the ice out so we’re not able to offer programming,” said McGuire. “We cancelled the season in January and refunded our families.”