Regina hockey leagues face off over ice time at Brandt Centre

Ice time at Regina’s Brandt Centre is causing a controversy as a new privately owned league has bumped some long-time users of the space on short notice.

Young Guns Hockey Academy is part of the Hockey Super League, which is a non-sanctioned league growing in North America. The hockey academy recently acquired a significant portion of the ice time at Regina’s Brandt Centre.

“Queen City Young Guns isn’t going to use every single hour of ice time. I’ve been really fair in my discussion with these past Brandt group users that ‘you’re still gonna be able to play your rec hockey here,” Coach and founder of Young Guns Hockey Academy, Mike Reich said.

Those who have used this ice time for senior and recreational hockey expressed frustration with a private organization taking over their space without due notice.

“The lion’s share of ice time in Regina is actually consumed by youth hockey. There are many programs and they are well developed programs and they have developed many players that have gone on the NHL when an organization like Young Guns comes in they are just looking at elite hockey players of rich parents,” said Mark Burton, a recreational hockey player and former head of player development for Hockey Regina.

Hockey Regina and Hockey Saskatchewan are sanctioned programs, meaning that they operate under the umbrella of Hockey Canada.

Being a sanctioned hockey team comes with the benefit of subsided cost when booking ice time. As a private, non sanctioned organization, Reich explained that his program pays the full cost, something that makes it worthwhile to many of the players and families involved.

“A lot of costs go into this already, you know, through our families registering for these tournaments and securing a lot of ice and stuff like that. It’s definitely a major financial commitment to be able to do this for families, but it’s very rewarding to have this ice doable for us,” he said.

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As a private organization and business, securing ice time at Brandt was well within the rights of Young Guns. However, some feel that the REAL District (which oversees the Brandt centre), should have stepped in.

“I would like to tell REAL that the hockey players in Regina need this ice. It’s improper to take it away without notice or without communication. And the cycle of hockey in Canada relies upon adults playing hockey, so they can introduce their kids to hockey,” Burton said.

Burton and his team, who also pay out of pocket for their ice time, took the matter to city hall, and Mayor Sandra Masters said that she plants to present a motion to postpone these ice time agreements with the hockey academy until council has more information.

“If you can get a cheque written that exceeds what you’re currently earning, maybe that’s fair. I think the inherent problem with this from my perspective is the community benefit and kind of respecting existing relationships,” Masters said.

The issue is currently at a standstill with Masters expressing that she plans to take some time to craft a motion after hearing the results of a REAL meeting, as that organization ultimately has control of the Brandt Centre.