Hockey on Neighbourhood Rinks

UPDATE: JANUARY 27

I wrote the below blogpost on January 20th. It was about hockey on outdoor rinks.

Hockey has always been prohibited on rinks without high boards. Despite the prohibition, I know many played shiny on neighbourhood rinks. And in previous years, I’m not aware of people being asked to stop.

However, this year, we’re seeing a lot more hockey (and shooting practice) happen on neighbourhood rinks. When the City received multiple complaints of pucks hitting houses and park users nearly getting hit, staff began enforcing the prohibition of hockey without high boards. However, it also asked Council if it would like to keep or change the rules.

I wrote this blog post when the conversation first came up.

Since then, Council has been able to meet to discuss hockey on outdoor neighbourhood rinks. Council decided the following:

• By default, hockey will be allowed on all outdoor rinks for the remainder of the year.

• If a rink is being maintained by neighbourhood volunteers and those volunteers wish to prohibit hockey on it: they will be allowed them to do so, and the City will support them by posting a “no hockey on this rink” sign

• On rinks without hockey style boards, nets will be limited to 1’ in height and 6’ wide. This will prevent players from raising the puck for shooting practice or to beat a goalie.

• Upon request, the City will provide a pond hockey net to volunteers maintaining a rink

I supported these decisions. They seem to strike a reasonable balance. Those wishing to play hockey or practice shooting will still need to go to a boarded rink. However, there will be lots of opportunity to play shiny throughout the neighbourhood.

Following is the original blog post I wrote with more information about this conversation.

Here is where you can see the City’s official release about this.

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Hockey was a topic of conversation at the Infrastructure & Economic Development Committee meeting yesterday.

According to longstanding Bylaws, outdoor hockey is prohibited on most public ice surfaces- it is only permitted where "allowed by the Director [of Infrastructure]." The City's usual practice is to only allow it on high board rinks.

However, due to provincial COVID measures, organized hockey and indoor arenas are closed. This has led to a lot more people playing hockey outdoors. And the high board rinks aren't meeting demand: sometimes because they are too busy, sometimes because people can't get to them without driving.

So, hockey is being played on other rinks throughout the City. Since many aren't designed for hockey, problems are popping up.

A small problem: some who just want to skate are feeling squeezed out. Especially if they are with small kids or are just learning to skate.

A huge problem: houses have been damaged. And I've heard from residents who aren't letting their kids play in the backyard because fast moving pucks keep on going over their fence. This is especially a problem when people are taking shooting practice on rinks. And it isn't ok. One resident has sent me pictures of the 70+ pucks that have hit their house and yard this winter!

When our staff became aware of pucks going into yards and damaging houses, they put up signs on rinks asking people to abide by the usual rules of only playing hockey at high board rinks. However, they also raised this with the Infrastructure Committee yesterday to see if Council desired changes.

The direction given by Committee:

Staff are to work on easing up restrictions on hockey, and report back to Council next Monday. In recognition of COVID, Committee wants to see temporary measures quickly put in place to provide more appropriate and safe opportunities to play outdoor hockey.

Staff were also directed to bring to a future Committee meeting potential amendments to the Parkland Bylaw for consideration. The purpose of these would be to create opportunity for more outdoor hockey on a permanent basis.

I look forward to the conversations and changes we'll be seeing over the next couple of days.

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My personal take:

I strongly believe in making low cost recreation accessible to people. I strongly believe in creating places where people can meet, work, and play with their neighbours. And I strongly believe in creating neighbourhood amenities people can walk to.

That means I strongly believe in the importance of our dozens of outdoor rinks. I'm proud of the City's support of them. And I am so very thankful for the many volunteers across the City who build and maintain them.

I want the use of the rinks to be maximized. So, I'm all for stick-and-puck hockey being played on them when safe to do so.

However: there needs to be opportunity for ALL skaters (not just hockey players) to use the rinks. And it is completely unacceptable for hockey to be played in a way that houses are damaged and people are in danger just for being in their backyard.

There are a number of steps the City might take to change its practices. Changes might include prohibiting shooting practice but allowing play, limiting the hours of play, helping get netting installed, or just allowing play on rinks with appropriate orientations and distances from houses. I look forward to hearing our staff's proposed strategies.

But whatever the City does, if we want more opportunities for hockey, its also going to take the cooperation of all players.

Most players have been respectful: they've played half-ice when other skaters showed up, they haven't taken shooting practice in places where houses are in the line of fire, and they've kept the puck down when playing.

Unfortunately, not all players have been this conscientious. Probably just because they aren't aware of the problems being caused. So, I've got an ask for you: if you've got kids or friends playing hockey, please help them be aware of City rules and good rink etiquette. I'd love to see us all work together to make our parks as safe, inclusive, and fun as possible.

Thanks for reading! As always, I welcome any feedback you might have!