BANFF – The Canadian men’s junior hockey team is getting a break on fees to host a training camp at Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre in December ahead of the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in Red Deer and Edmonton.
Banff town council has approved a 50 per cent discount on fees for ice and meeting room bookings for the Dec. 14-18 event for a total of $4,250.
“It’s the world juniors. I do think it’s an iconic event and it will be a great thing if we’re in a position in December to have events like this,” said Mayor Karen Sorensen.
“We will all be anxious to see what happens to any sporting event in the coming months, whether in our arena or elsewhere.”
Councillor Peter Poole was opposed to the fee reduction, citing concerns over the event itself due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I love the world juniors and I would love to be able to go to Red Deer in a different year to be able to see the world juniors, but I am not supportive of this request from a community perspective,” he said.
“This sporting team, when they presented to us, didn’t give me enough satisfaction of the charitable nature of their work or of their preparedness this year. I need to be sticking up for our community, not for a one-off marketing benefit,” he added.
“I don’t want our 10-year-old kids going over to see a hockey player they’re enamoured with run by an organization that hasn’t yet got their medical attention… I don’t want to bring a risk to our community for a subsidy.”
The intention of this booking is to provide a training location for the team prior to travelling to Edmonton and Red Deer for the World Junior Championship being hosted between Dec. 26, 2020 and Jan. 5, 2021.
Town of Banff officials say at this time, a training camp with out-of-province participants would not be permitted, noting it will only go ahead if the current Alberta Health Services guidance changes between now and then.
However, they say the team would like to make the booking for five months from now to be prepared should public health circumstances change between now and December and this would be allowed.
Team Canada players and representatives would be required to comply with all applicable federal, provincial and municipal regulations and health guidance, they said, including following safety protocols at the arena.
Hockey Canada, the team’s governing body, has also developed a comprehensive policy document for players, coaches and administrative staff that must be adhered to, they said.
“Understandably, planning for any event with the COVID-19 pandemic is extremely challenging,” said Alison Gerrits, the Town of Banff’s community services director.
“The National Junior Team is attempting to plan for the future, recognizing that it is difficult to do so during the pandemic.”
In addition, the national team’s representatives are currently working with Banff Lake Louise Tourism (BLLT) on a potential partnership agreement, however details of that partnership are still not yet available.
Town administration anticipates that if this booking goes ahead, BLLT would support with the promotion and marketing of any permitted public aspects, such as viewing of practices for the week-long training camp, if it is deemed safe to do so.
Team Canada representatives have also indicated that there is potential broadcasting and print media reports that will highlight the training camp, Banff and the Fenlands prior to the world juniors event.
Councillor Brain Standish voiced support for the fee reduction for the national hockey team.
“The marketing power of having this organization in our community is well beyond the $8,000 we’d be collecting in fees,” he said.
Mayor Sorensen said she respects Coun. Poole’s concerns around COVID-19, but believes high-level sporting organizations like this will have in place proper safety protocols if they are even in a position to host events.
“I think we all need to watch that,” she said.
“But if there is an opportunity for them to have this event, and there is an opportunity for them to have it in Banff, I think providing them with our ice and space with a 50 per cent discount is a reasonable thing to do.”
