Minor hockey players frozen off ice in Campbellton

The Restigouche North Minor Hockey Association is holding a meeting Monday night to discuss what it will do if the City of Campbellton follows through on its threat to take away the organization's ice time.

In a newsrelease issued Oct. 12, MayorStephanie Anglehart-Paulin stated effective Sunday the minor hockey association would not be given more ice time because it had refused to provide the city lists of players' names.

"Minor Hockey was informed that prior to securing any ice time, lists showing players' names and leisure card numbers must be submitted," Anglehart-Paulinsaid in the release.

"We have allowed for tryouts to take place without cards in an effort to give associations time to get organized," the release continued.

Campbellton'scity council voted Aug. 30 to implement a $200 user fee for non-residents to use the Memorial Civic Centre. That fee buys a "leisure card" which serves as proof that someone living outside the city has paid their dues.

Members of minor hockey teams who don't live in the city are required to have those cards.

The city is trying cover the shortfall in the $1.2 million it needs to operate themulti-sport and recreation conference facility.

Privacy issues

But the hockey association's president, Marcel LeBlanc, said they'renot allowedto provide thelists to the city, citing privacy policies.

"We can't give out personal information about the players."

The association even posted a message to that effecton its website Sept. 21,making it clear to parents and players that their role was to serve the players and not collect user fees or endorse them.

"Our clients information is strictly minor hockey, HNB, and hockey Canada's business and will not be shared with any other parties," read the association's statement.

LeBlancsaid initiation camps were held Sunday as planned but he doesn't know what will happen next.

"I can't tell you what will happen next because we don't know."

LeBlanc said Hockey NB has been advised of the situationand he hopes it will help them deal with the issue.

The mayor said in her newsrelease pre-scheduled tournaments which were initially exemptfrom leisure card requirements would now be "in jeopardy" because the exemption was conditional on the sports associations complying in the first place.

LeBlanc said it's possible they could make more use of arenas in Belledune and Dalhousie,but hoped it won'tcome to that.

Other help

Surrounding municipalities and local service districts were invited to enter into agreements to contribute to the operating costs or help the city pay the cost of leisure cards for their residents.

While some,including Tide Head and Pointe--la-Croix, agreed,many refused saying the city needed to deal with it's own financial issues before asking others for help.

TheListugujFirst Nation issued its own statement Oct. 12 stating they would contribute $20,000 on behalf of all Listuguj members to the civic centre but they wanted to see the creation of a management committee and asked to have two seats on it.