Public Service Announcement
Akerley Rink Closure Requires Short, Long Term Strategies
(Wednesday, November 8/06)-- Halifax Regional Municipality will be contacting user groups in the next few weeks to help find alternate facilities as a result of the planned closure next Spring of the rink at the Akerley campus of the Nova Scotia Community College(NSCC.)
In addition, the Nova Scotia Department of Health Promotion will work with HRM to help identify future ice surface demands in the area and possible ways to address these needs.
Provincial, municipal and community college officials met today to discuss details of the planned closure of the rink.
Mayor Peter Kelly said HRM will seek a definite time line from private developers for the construction start of three new ice surfaces at the Rocky Lake Road development in the Bedford area. It is anticipated these rinks will be available for use by next Fall.
"Obviously, my primary interest is to ensure the children and families who will be affected by this closure have alternative locations in which they can continue to be physically active," said Barry Barnet, Minister of Health Promotion and Protection. "My department is committed to building the healthiest population possible and physical activity is a key component of a healthy population."
District 7 Councillor Bill Karsten said HRM’s 2006/2007 Budget has been set for many months now and, therefore, there is no funding available for a replacement rink. Even if funds were available, construction of a new rink could not be completed in time for the 2007/2008 hockey season.
“In the short term, we’ve got to find alternate facilities for the Akerley rink user groups to access after April 2007,” he said. “In the longer term, we have to look at the overall ice surface needs of the community and try to meet those demands. We may need some help from the Province.”
The Akerley rink is aging and would require a substantial amount of money to keep operating, but the primary reason for its closure is that NSCC requires the space to consolidate its transportation programming. NSCC has grown to accommodate almost 3,000 additional students in the past decade. It has 9,347 students today, and based on the forecast skills shortage and the looming retirement wave, there is an urgent need for additional learning spaces.
“This was a difficult decision as connections with the community are very important to us,” said Dr. McArthur-Blair. “However, we must continue to fulfill our primary mandate in the province - which is the education and training of skilled professionals to meet Nova Scotia' s labour market demand - through new construction and the renovation of existing facilities.”
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Mayor Peter Kelly
490-4010
Councillor Bill Karsten
District 7 (Portland-East Woodlawn)
476-1855
Tracey Taweel
Communications Director
Health Promotion and Protection
424-4410
Sara Napier
Manager, Media Relations
Nova Scotia Community College
491-6781/cell: 222-5471
