KENORA — City staff say a Junior A hockey team looking to start up next season will be frozen out of ice time.
Kenora city officials issued a statement on Friday, saying the recreation and culture department had received a request from a prospective team.
The statement said the city's recreation team has reviewed the request and determined that the team will not be included in next season's ice schedule.
"This decision is an administrative decision which was based on assessing several factors outside of just the ice allocation," the statement said. "Through public consultation, concerns have been raised by community groups and users and the City wants to take the necessary time to thoroughly consider the potential addition of a Junior A team in the future to ensure everyone is heard and all concerns are considered.
"The City of Kenora’s Recreation and Culture department works with individuals and groups to expand programming opportunities in the community, and when reviewing new programs, we review facility availability while ensuring the program aligns with our values by providing adequate and appropriate recreational opportunities for all community members."
The city did not identify the team's proponents nor league the team would have played in.
There has long been interest from the Superior International Junior Hockey League to add a team in Kenora, but none of the previous attempts to establish a team have ever come to fruition.
The league currently has teams in Thunder Bay, Oliver Paipoonge, Fort Frances, Dryden, Red Lake, Sioux Lookout, and Spooner, Wisc.
