Mayor Jeff Genung intends to bring forward a notice of motion for the town to examine the possibility of twinning the Cochrane Arena to help address an acute shortage of ice in the community.
Council chambers overflowed during Monday night's committee-of-the-whole meeting, as a delegation from the Cochrane Minor Hockey Association (CMHA), many wearing jerseys, stressed the critical need for more ice surfaces — both for themselves and other local users.
They called for the development of a new rink, ideally by fall 2026, to meet current demand. The group also believes a second multisport facility with three ice sheets will be required within three to seven years to accommodate continued growth.
CMHA officials said they are committed to helping secure funding through multiple fundraising avenues.
Genung told the delegation he plans to seek council approval to examine the land surrounding Cochrane’s original arena. He cautioned, however, that any solution would need to have long-term value for the town..
"It's going to take some time," said Genung. "But hopefully we can do some preliminary work now so that we can identify where this potential ice surface could be and get that into the queue as quickly as possible."
CMHA anticipates 1,200 registered players for the 2025–26 season. With an average growth rate of eight per cent annually, it projects reaching 1,632 players by the 2028–29 season.
The need for more ice time isn’t new. Background discussions have been ongoing for years.
In the last 12 years, CMHA’s membership has tripled — from 400 to 1,200 — with 35 per cent of those players aged five to eight.
Ashley Rabbis, CMHA vice-president of operations, said the group wanted to come out in force to highlight the urgency.
"We've been talking to council and anybody who would listen that, hey, we see the cliff coming, and we're going to hit it," he said. "And now we're there."
"We’ll be turning away kids this coming season. In four or five months, between ourselves and the Cougars program (Fun Hockey), I estimate 50 to 75 kids won’t get a chance to play because registration is capped."
In recent years, the CMHA has relied on ice in Cremona and Mini Thni, but that access is dependent on availability. Cremona is experiencing growth and won’t have ice available for CMHA next season. Mini Thni currently provides 14 hours of weekday ice and 25 to 30 hours on weekends but has seen a major resurgence in its minor hockey program, something the CMHA assisted in reestablishing.
As Cochrane’s largest ice user, CMHA estimates it requires 170 to 180 hours of ice time for its 78 teams. It currently books about 65 per cent of all ice time outside school hours and has recently added four new high-performance teams, both male and female.
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Scott McCulloch, CMHA director of development, said one new ice surface would meet short-term demand. He noted that if they had access to a new rink today, it would be fully booked within three years.
Council encouraged the delegation to participate in public engagement efforts informing the town’s new Parks, Culture and Active Living Master Plan. Residents are being asked to complete a survey and provide feedback to ensure the plan reflects community needs.
"I don’t think we need a study to tell us we need more ice surfaces," said Genung. "What we do need this study for is to outline what other needs there are in Cochrane. I think if we go to taxpayers and say we’re building more ice while ignoring other needs, that’s not the right message — and I don’t think that’s what I’m hearing from you either."
Genung’s notice of motion is expected at the May 12 regular council meeting.