Simmons Sports Centre delay leaves user groups looking for other places to play

Despite the city offering no definitive timeline for when Charlottetown's new Simmons Sports Centre will open, some groups slated to use the facility say they should be able to find ways to continue their seasons.

Earlier this month, staff at the newly built arena discovered they were unable to make ice because of a leak in the pipes within the arena's concrete surface slab.

The centre was initially scheduled to open Oct. 14, but there is now no firm timeline for when the repairs will be complete to allow the rink to open. 

The delayed opening has led to frustration and a bit of nerves for some sport groups relying on ice time at Simmons. That includes the Charlottetown Ringette Association, which is scheduled to host a major tournament at the centre in January. 

"I'm probably a little bit nervous," said Mike Devine, the association's president. "I feel for a lot of user groups out there. It's really hard, when you're trying to put predictability into your schedules, to have a wild card as to when the facility's going to be open."

The City of Charlottetown said last week that workers are beginning to narrow down the location of the leak. But it's not clear when repairs will be able to start, or when they might be finished. 

Coun. Mitchell Tweel, chair of the city's parks, recreation and leisure activities committee, told CBC News staff are working to find ice time for user groups at other arenas around the city. 

Keith Ford, president of the Charlottetown Minor Hockey Association, said his teams will have about 60 per cent of their weekly ice time at Simmons once it opens. 

In the meantime, the association has found 6 a.m. practice times at various other facilities in the province — but that can sometimes mean very early departure times for players and parents. 

"They're frustrated but… I hope they understand there's not much we can do about it. It's an inconvenience that we have to travel, but they're getting their kids there, which is good," Ford said. 

He added that Hockey P.E.I. has generously scheduled the Charlottetown-area teams for more away games in the early part of the season to lessen the pain of the Simmons delay. 

But that too has its challenges. 

"We're going to probably get to the point where the kids are going to be playing a hockey game every night to make up the games that they're missing," Ford said. "That's going to be stressful for us, and for the kids and for the parents."

Devine said the ringette association is optimistic about still being able to hold its January tournament at the new rink, but the high demand for ice time in Charlottetown means organizers are also scrambling for a contingency plan.