An agreement is now in place for a new junior hockey team to use the ice at the West Fraser Centre next season and beyond.
Last night, the North Cariboo Joint Advisory Committee approved a five-year agreement for the proposed club that would expire on April 30th, 2029.
Recreation Manager Richard Gauthier said the agreement would provide the new team with a dressing room, a space for coaches room and a training room, as well as the needed ice time.
“The new agreement also provides required practice time for the season, up to 25 home games, 3 exhibition games and set hours required for a spring ID camp and a main camp held in August.”
Gauthier said it also included language on advertising rights, alcohol sales, security and a revenue sharing agreement between the junior team and the Quesnel Kangaroos.
“75 K guaranteed will be paid annually to the city by September 1st of each year. In turn the city will pay the Quesnel Kangaroos 75 thousand. Subsequently it has been agreed between the two parties that fundraisers such as a joint hockey school will be split.”
Gauthier said the club will pay 44,900 for the ice in the first season and that will be subject to a review annually.
“Years two through five the flat fee may be amended as per the Rates and Fees Bylaw for North Cariboo Recreation and Parks. Generally those fees may increase by 2 percent to 3.5 percent, depending on an overall fee structure review.”
Mary Sjostrom, the CRD Director for Area A, wanted to know if there was a plan to meet with the other arena users.
Gauthier said that there was.
“Absolutely, you have to right. This definitely will effect users and how it works now is youth get it first and then it gets divvied up to adults, and adult users will get bumped at times or have the option to play a little bit later.”
Pressed on Quesnel’s chances of getting a team, Gauthier wasn’t prepared to go out on the limb too much.
“We’ve had lots of discussions with them (the proponent), they are very positive, so I think something that they need to move forward is this agreement and once that is in place, I don’t want to speak out of turn, but I am hearing very positive things that this could very well happen.”
The KIJHL’s Board of Governors is expected to make a decision later this month.
–Files by George Henderson, My Cariboo Now
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