Abbotsford needs more ice

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Abbotsford has an ice deficit. Not on the city’s roads, but in its rinks. A new report from the city found that demand exceeds the supply of ice at Abbotsford’s rinks exceeds the supply. Staff pegged the deficit at 0.6 ice sheets, and predicted that the shortage is expected to grow. That deficit doesn’t exist for every piece of ice in the city; Abbotsford’s curling rink is “under utilized,” staff found, with demand for the sport not growing. The city also needs dry floor space, staff say.

Addressing the problem will be a challenge, with staff saying that even maintaining current operations will require “significant investment.” The city is creating a new strategy that will look at ways to address the shortfall. Staff suggest that the arrival of the Abbotsford Canucks could provide opportunities. They also note that ice users are generally affluent and male, and that a new strategy could look at ways to “increase access and inclusion.”

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