CAP Arena ice to open weeks earlier this year after several requests

The CAP Arena will re-open weeks earlier than its usual autumn start time after repeated requests from the community. 

Town council in St. Paul have earmarked an opening time of Sept. 5 to have ice installed this year, after asks from Minor Hockey, Figure Skating Club, and the St. Paul Jr. Canadiens, and confirmations of bookings. 

“It’s an experiment,” said Mayor Maureen Miller.  

“We don’t know what the cost is going to be. We have to try it once. It’s been asked for many times.” 

Administration believes it will be business as usual in terms of ice bookings by starting five to six weeks sooner than normal, roughly mid-October. 

The question is whether the ice plant can handle operating in warmer conditions. 

That’s where the hesitancy lies from the Town’s point of view, according to Miller. The ice plant is in an unchilled slab, so warm weather can add to the machine’s wear and tear. 

A long-term concern is that having ice in the CAP for seven-and-a-half months could lead to ice heaves, as the arena lacks a heat floor beneath the cement.

But recreation ice is always sought after. The extension of ice in the spring this year was already well-received. 

Minor hockey sessions are starting earlier and earlier everywhere, plus there’s been the annual issue of the Jr. B Canadiens doing training camp out of town, with the Clancy Richard Arena preparing for LRA Finals Rodeo on the Labour Day weekend. 

“They’re renting facilities elsewhere. That means we can’t get those players settled in the community, and they’re not competing at the same level at the ice time,” Miller said.

“We have the same thing with minor hockey. They’re picking their teams when other teams are already in the league playing. So we will try it.” 

Afterwards, administration will look at the booking numbers and how they jive with the normal start time, and see whether this will become the new status quo.

This year in particular could be an opportunity for additional bookings because the Glendon Arena is currently under renovations.