William Crooks
Members of North Hatley Council, including Mayor Marcella Davis-Gerrish (centre), listen as residents voice concerns over the proposed ice rink location during the Aug. 11 meeting

By William Crooks

Local Journalism Initiative

The Aug. 11 meeting of North Hatley Council, chaired by Mayor Marcella Davis-Gerrish, drew roughly 40 residents and an unusually long first question period—about an hour and a half—devoted entirely to the town’s plan to replace the municipal tennis courts with a new refrigerated ice rink.

The project, funded through a major donation from the Pollock family, has been in development since October 2023. Davis-Gerrish told the packed room that the council remains “united” in its commitment to building the rink, but emphasized that not all details have been finalized. “The rink is approved in concept. The location, the cost and all that is to follow once we have all the numbers,” she said.

A recently circulated petition opposing the use of the tennis court site was presented by long-time resident Nicholas Oldland, who said it had gathered 143 signatures from local residents in just four days. Oldland, who lives next to the courts, called them an “extraordinarily successful resource” and argued that while he fully supports the idea of a rink, using the courts is “a terrible mistake.” He asked whether there was a required number of signatures for council to reconsider the location. Davis-Gerrish did not indicate that any petition size would alter the decision and added, to audible reaction from the crowd, that she had heard some people thought the petition was for the rink’s placement rather than against it.

The mayor also clarified that despite a municipal notice that had led some to believe the location was decided, the placement issue remains unresolved. “We’re still looking at options,” she said, though she stressed that space in the village is limited and that other possible sites—such as River Park, Scowen Park, the town hall lot, and the parking lot—had been ruled out for legal, environmental, or engineering reasons.

River Park had originally been favoured, but engineering studies found that the soil could not support the heavy refrigerated slab without $800,000 in pilings, with no guarantee against shifting. While some residents questioned whether alternative engineering solutions—such as flexible joints—could work, others said the site’s cost and risk made it impractical.

Supporters of the project highlighted its potential for a five-month skating season, year-round use, and community-building benefits. One resident read a letter from an 11-year-old local boy describing his love for hockey and the rink as “a place of intergenerational gathering” that enlivens the village in winter. Another said that, given climate change, the existing natural ice rink only offers 20 to 30 days of usable ice annually.

Opponents questioned the financial prudence and the loss of a valued amenity. Several noted that the tennis courts, which have a scenic lakeside setting, were built with significant community effort and private fundraising. Another resident argued that past “gifts” to the town, like the current rink, had fallen into disrepair due to poor maintenance, and said the municipality should “take care of what you have” before accepting new projects.

Traffic and noise were also raised as concerns, with some questioning the impact of placing a busy facility in a residential area. Others proposed relocating the tennis courts instead of removing them entirely, but said new courts in River Park would not offer the same experience. One resident suggested exploring an agreement to use nearby private courts as a compromise.

The discussion repeatedly returned to the issue of transparency. Several speakers pressed council for detailed operating cost projections, maintenance estimates, and full disclosure of engineering studies before making a final decision. “There is a need for very obvious transparency here,” one resident said, adding that both cost and feasibility data should be shared publicly.

Davis-Gerrish said operating costs for comparable rinks range between $15,000 and $20,000 a year—well below the $100,000-plus figures circulating online—but stressed that these were only estimates. She reiterated that the family’s intent is for the rink to be free for public use, though the idea of limited rentals or sponsorships could be explored in future.

While the tone was at times heated, with moments of applause, interruptions, and pointed exchanges, council members maintained that no construction will begin until all studies are complete and the public has been informed. “We respect and acknowledge your desire to be heard,” the mayor said, adding that “nothing is going to happen without the population knowing all the steps that are going to be taken.”