Teams scrambling after two Winnipeg arenas shut down

Some Winnipeg junior and minor hockey teams have lost hundreds of hours of ice time after two arenas were shut down for repairs as the season gets underway.

Terry Sawchuk arena was closed due to structural issues with eight to ten of its beams needing repair. The city says it is exploring different timelines for repairs. The West Kildonan Memorial Community Centre is also closed for gas detection system, exhaust fans, and relief vent piping work, which is estimated to take months to complete and will not be open for this hockey season.

Barry Bonni, the president of River East Royal Knights, said he and his players are frustrated about the short notice.

“They (the players) are saying ‘do we have a game? Where’s the game? What time is the game? What’s going on?’ We’re saying ‘we don’t know. We don’t know. We’re scrambling for ice time’,” said Bonni, who founded the Royal Knights in 1981. “It affects our whole organization, our whole league, and every team we’re playing. We’re playing all over the place now instead of our own area.”

Derek German, Seven Oaks Minor Hockey Association President, said he is concerned that with practice time being cut, player development will be halted.

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