By Chad Klassen

Kamloops hockey community pushing for another ice surface

Mar 10, 2016 | 9:46 AM

KAMLOOPS — Part of the city’s plan to build a leisure centre at McArthur Island would be constructing another sheet of ice in Brocklehurst, in place of the outdoor pool.

The hockey community has been pushing for more ice surfaces in Kamloops since the Ice Box closed on the Tk’emlups Indian Band in the summer.

At Wednesday night’s public meeting at NorKam, a large group of women hockey players showed up wearing jerseys to express their desire for another ice surface, no matter where it’s built.

The players say the closure of the Ice Box has caused the numbers to drop significantly.

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“We play at 10:15 p.m. on the weekdays, and unfortunately a lot of women can’t do that. We’re down to five teams this year [compared to nine during the 2014-15 season],” says player Jennifer Watson, who spoke on behalf of the Kamloops Female Recreational Hockey League.

The league conducted a survey, and 63% of the players say if the ice times remain the same, they won’t be playing next year, bringing the number of teams down to two.