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City Budget Proposal For Ice-time Costs Defeated - Ottawa Kids Skate On

A proposal for the 2008 municipal budget that would have raised ice time costs by nearly 80% did not pass early this year. City council heard and addressed the outcry from thousands of unhappy ice rink users across the city, and 6117 people from our website alone. They have redrafted the budget without the proposed increase to fees for kids sports. However, recreational ice-time for adults will increase.

We would like to thank the 6117 visitors who signed our petition electronically, and voiced their opinion to City Hall.

Ottawa Petition Against Ice-Time Cost Increases Notable Comments

Playing hockey is a privilege, but this proposal will make access to Canada's sport much more limited than it already is. Many children will no longer play and enrolment for new children will go into a tailspin. All Hockey parents need to help quash this proposal.
                                                                                               B. Baker

Minor hockey is an activity that keeps hundrends children, from 5 right up to teenagers, actively involved in healthy physical exercise 2 to 3 times per week, or more, from mid Sept to March each and every year. We have come to realize that the sedintary lifestyle of kids who sit on the couch playing video games and eating unhealthy snacks is causing a hugh problem with obesity and all of the physical and emotional health problems associated with it. As it is, registering a child in minor hockey is quite expensive. To consider raising the ice rental fees more than the cost of living, let alone the completely out of the park figure of 80% which is what was published in the newspaper, will serve as a major disincentive for many families and will result in lots of kids no longer playing in an organized hockey league. Stop making fantasy plans for the city of Ottawa and spending public money on stuff we don't need and cant' afford, start getting back onto the reality track and deal with the problem of our infrastructure falling apart. The people of Ottawa want and deserve core services including public skating rinks - we don't need pedestrian bridges over the canal so Ottawa U. students can get over to Elgin St. faster to go drinking. They can walk around and use the other bridges - the extra walk would be good for their health too. Get back to the basics Council - and don't raise ice rental fees more than a single digit percentage. thank-you for reading this message.
                                                                                              S. McDonald

"Street hockey is banned, Ringette fee's are in access of $900 per child (for both Association fee's and team fee's - which pay for the ice time). These are the basic costs. With three children participating in ice related winter sports) it is over $3,000. in basic fee's.. If our community goal is to raise our children to be involved and responsible citizens of Ottawa it is astounding that the the costs associated with any activity that is intellectually and physcially healthy are so very prohibitive. And, isn't it so very interesting that the Government (Municipal, provincial, federal) has its hand(s) in the pot collecting those fee's. The Government seems to forget that it is our money they are holding in Trust and money and accountability are not words I would use to describe when it comes to Government finances."
                                                                                             C. Walker

"It is so short-sighted to raise ice-time costs. It is so odd that the federal government has offered a tax incentive to help parents get our children more active & the city wants to ruin any benefit it might have had. The city needs to take a closer look at where it is really wasting money, (being sued over canceling rapid transit is just one that I know of). How about a little long term vision & planning first?"
                                                                                              B. Gervais

"With childhood obesity and overweight rates reaching epidemic levels (1 in 4 children in Canada is overweight or obese), it is shocking that the municipal government would consider further increasing the cost of organized sport. At the federal level, there are many initiatives aimed at trying to increase physical activity levels in children. Why would the municipal government even come up with the backwards idea of making ice time more expensive? Children of families with lower average incomes are most at risk for becoming overweight or obese. One reason is that their families can not afford the cost of organized sport. Why make a sport that is so enjoyable, social, builds confidence and physical fitness less attainable for a family with lower average income? Ottawa should be setting the example for the country in terms of encouraging participation in sport. This proposal is likely another scare tactic as it affects so many families, however, it cannot be ignored."
                                                                                               M. Kovacs

The other part of the proposed plan, besides increasing fees, is to close several arenas. Competition for ice time is already fierce: my daughters' Atom hockey team recently went nearly 3 weeks without a practice because they couldn't get ice time, and their association has a waiting list of girls who want to play but can't because there aren't enough facilities to support any more teams. Closing 4 or 5 rinks will really exacerbate the situation (although I suppose the fee increase will ease the waiting list by knocking out any kids from financially-disadvantaged families!)
                                                                                               W. Beddoe

Sounds like another far -sighted idea from the think tank down on Laurier Avenue. Maybe they could get all the rinks closed in time for the Bell Cup. The Largest minor hockey tournament in the world. While there at it why don't they close the canal! Imagine the Savings!
                                                                                               M. MacDonald