Subject: The Halifax Forum and what it means for our ice

Dear Chebucto families and members,

We want to make you aware of an issue that will directly affect our program over the next several years.

Halifax Regional Council is planning to close the Halifax Forum and Civic arenas for a rebuild expected to take at least four years. Halifax is already short of ice. The city’s own staff report says we are short 136 hours of prime time ice every week, about three arenas’ worth, and that is before counting adult hockey, ringette, and figure skating. Hockey Nova Scotia has found that nowhere in the province has less ice than HRM.

Closing two more surfaces would mean less ice for every group in the city, including ours. Under the city’s current plan to manage the closure, that could mean:

•         Reduced ice time for every association

•         Teams sharing practice ice, cutting each team’s practice in half

•         Weekday ice as early as 6 a.m. and as late as 11 p.m.

•         More away games and higher travel costs for families

•         No new tournaments, including provincials

And when the rebuild is finished, at a cost of more than $140 million, Halifax would have exactly the same two surfaces it has today.

We support rebuilding the Forum. But we believe replacement ice should be in place before it closes, and that a project of this size should add ice, not just replace it. Other Canadian communities have built new ice quickly and affordably, and Halifax can too.

CMHA has joined other ice user groups across the city in asking council to take a better approach. Council is closely divided on this, and your voice can make a real difference.

Please take five minutes to email your councillor. A sample email and the full councillor contact list are below. Feel free to add your own experience. Personal stories carry real weight.

Thank you for your support.

Bryan Esbaugh

CMHA President

CMHA Councillors

Full HRM City Council Contact List

councillors-contact-list-2024

Sample Email for Members

Email for Members to Send to Councillors