The Star: Fee hike threatens hockey group

By: Lois Kalchman
Published: February 06, 2008
Source: The Star

To read the article in the Star

The Scarborough Hockey Association will be "out of business" and the city will have to take over caring for 2,900 players if Toronto's proposed increases in ice rental costs go through, says its president John Kelloway.

The city revealed a budget on Monday that would see the cost of renting rinks rise 15 per cent to 34 per cent.

"The increase would put us out of business," Kelloway said yesterday, explaining it would add an additional $134,000 to the cost of running the 44-year-old association.

"Within 48 hours after they make it official, I will be calling a meeting of our seven organizations. If I read my presidents right from our meeting (Monday) night, we will be handing over the responsibility of our 2,100 house league and 800 competitive players to the city. The City of Toronto will be in the hockey business with all its expenses and paper work."

The Scarborough association and other regional groups like it are affiliates of the Greater Toronto Hockey League, a nearly 100-year-old organization that oversees local minor hockey. They are independently managed bodies with separate budgets and boards. "We have enough in our reserves to absorb a one-shot catastrophe and this is it," Kelloway said. "Our plans are to grow the league ... but if this increase happens, we will dispose of our reserves to a charitable organization and walk away."

That reply was a surprise to Greater Toronto Hockey League president John Gardner. "I can't interfere with what John Kelloway wants to do," he said.

If the city asked the GTHL to run the Scarborough association and "would contribute financially," it would, he said. "We have to think of the kids and so does the city. If the city is so concerned about saving the almighty dollar, the GTHL will run the arenas for them and save $1 (million) to $2 million.

"Mr. Mayor, I'm awaiting your reply."

Kevin Greenwood sees it from all sides as a worker in one of the city arenas with a son playing GTHL hockey. "I have nephews who can't play hockey because of the cost," he says. "One parent works at Wal-Mart and the other is a manager at a large steel importing firm and when I asked them why their two 8-year-olds aren't playing they said it was the cost."

Car and mortgage payments had to come before hockey, he said.

Colleen McInroy manages a Scarborough Young Bruins team in the GTHL and has a son playing on the team. Her sons have also played in the SHA. "It's outrageous," she said of the increase. "I'm going to get a list of councillors and circulate it to my parents and have them all call.

"Hockey is already too expensive," McInroy said.

Kelloway said the increases will definitely affect families in Scarborough. "We are looking at low-income families and when the city does this behind closed doors, they are an insensitive, irrational bunch of people, certainly not community minded," he said.

Kelloway said he was originally told of a 3 per cent increase. Then it was revised to "match inflation" and the latest figures are between 15 per cent and 34 per cent.

"I think we are paying the freight for some of their free programs," he said. "I have asked the city to tell me what it costs to operate an arena and if they can justify it, then I guess we have to pay."

The North York Hockey League has 4,500 players and is also an affiliate of the GTHL. It doesn't plan to fold, but neither does it have the reserve funds to counter a shock like this, says vice-president Paul Maich. That means either raising the charge of $4 to see a game or cutting back on programs.

"It has a double whammy effect for us because we have not only the house leagues but the select programs. It will particularly hurt our house leagues and a lot of them are suffering, particularly those in areas that are economically deprived."

Gardner says the league spends $3 million a season on ice rental for games and this increase alone will cost it another $180,000 on top of last year's increase of $60,000.

"I made a promise to our members last week that for this upcoming season there would be no increase in gate admission, referee, gamesheet and registration fees. I am keeping that promise.

"If we go in the red, we will have to figure out a way to place a tourniquet so we don't bleed too much."