The Canmore Eagles are flying into a tough 2018-19 hockey season.
Their organization was given marching orders by town council to get their financial nest in order.
The time has come for both the Canmore Eagles and the community to decide whether or not this valley can sustain a local hockey franchise properly.
The team has a lot of debt – more than $500,000 – owing to multiple sources, including $127,000 in unpaid ice rental fees dating pre-2014. Its own membership has loaned the organization more than $140,000 and last year Canmore Minor Hockey helped out with an additional $25,000.
Taxpayers, board members and affiliate organizations all have feathers in the game and have stepped up to help keep the Eagles playing as part of the Alberta Junior A Hockey League.
But if the Eagles want to truly soar, they have a year to report back to Canmore council on its relationship with a private tourism operation – Pinnacle Hockey.
If you show up for a Pinnacle Hockey experience you get to see what it is like to be a hockey player for a day. Or perhaps you are in one of their summer hockey camps. The jerseys you wear belong to the Eagles and the coaches helping you are from the team as well.
Pinnacle’s operations have created confusion in the community and for council about its relationship with the hockey team. One is for-profit, the other is a non-profit – but staff and revenues from one are used to reduce staffing expenses for the other.
But for elected officials, the situation has run a-fowl with what is considered appropriate. Why are taxpayers being asked to carry debt for the team, when the organization turns around and uses its assets to bring in tourism revenues?
Now the team has a year to return to council and report on its organizational and financial structure as both a non-profit local hockey team and a tour operator and hockey camp.
But the Bow Valley also has a roll to play as the team navigates its path back toward financial solvency. Because now more than ever the Canmore Eagles Junior A hockey team needs fans in the stands to make it happen.
It is hard to find a sport that signifies our collective national identity more than ice hockey. It’s permanently etched into the Canadian ethos. So then why don’t residents of Canmore and Banff support their local team more?
Will the Eagle’s performance improve with more fans? Or will more fans show up when the team gets better? At this point, showing up will guarantee we keep our local hockey team in the valley. The mayor is right, this is it – we either get behind the team or it will end up for sale.
With summer about to hit the Bow Valley this week, it may be easy to forget about hockey until the fall. But for the Eagles and the community, there has never been a better time to put your sticks on the ice and support local hockey.
Let’s hope the 2018-19 season tickets fly off the shelves because the Eagles need a flock of birds to help them soar.
