A new ice allocation policy for the City of Kenora is being developed.

This time, the city has gone out and hired a private consulting firm to work on a new policy.

Meaghan Carey is with RC Strategies and says it’s important that if a group is not using all their ice time, they need to give some back.

“As a season progresses, and as we’re getting into it, encouraging that flexibility and reallocation,” Carey told city council recently.

“So, if time or space is no longer needed, making sure we’re turning that back into the pool, so others can pick up those times.”

Carey says there are a number of principles involved in making sure there is adequate ice time for all user groups.

“We think it’s important to address black ice and turnbacks.  So, certainly this work has begun.  It’s wanting to have more understanding of when ice is sitting empty, and groups are not appropriately turning it back.”

Carey says a draft will be presented to the city and to council to get feedback before submitting a final recreation allocation policy.

She adds the ice allocation policy is really a recreation allocation policy, that can apply to all city owned recreation facilities, like baseball diamonds.

(File photo)