There is an Olympic size pad in Oakville not too far from where the Blades play. In the North/West final last season Oakville played 1 of their home games against the Tigers there. It was probabay the best game of the series, the Tigers won, I think the score was 3-2. Both teams showed off their best assets on the Olympic size pad. The speed of play was great. Can't figure out why the Blades wouldn't play all their home games at this Arena. I heard the reason why they don't use the Arena is a very political one.
Too bad, what a difference on the bigger ice surface.
The pad next to the Vees former home is indeed Olympic size and yes games have been played there periodically over the years.
The "new" home ice of the Vees is NHL standard 200 by 85 feet. I believe the new Dukedome will also be NHL standard.
It was reported in several media outlets that council was in favour of the project and several sources of funding have been explored. There was also mention of an engineering firm. Hockey is very important to Prince Edward County and the area fans and business community are very supportive of all levels. Memories are often short but It was the extrordinary support in the community that brought the former Belleville Junior A franchise to Wellington resurecting the "Dukes" name.
Do you beleive everything you read. My point is that , the county council has many problems within the structure that it operates, and they seem to find a way to screw things up.This council over the past few years have waisted more money in ,studies, consulting fees than I may make over the next ten or even fifteen years or so.
This new arena in Wellington would be better off as a private venture than a public one.
No, I don't believe everything I read and I certainly am not privy to the inner workings of the county council. I also know full well how a municipal council can throw money away on feasibility studies, environmental assessments, impact studies and the like - after all I have lived in Kingston for some time.
One thing is true and that is the level of support "the county" has for the Dukes franchise, even before they brought the team in from Belleville as a junior A team the "old" Dukes (junior D I believe) had a great following.
I'm sure a new arena is right around the corner, after all one of the criteria for the Pilot project division is a first class facility.
Everyone knows Wellington needs a new facilaty, and if this thing gets done there will need to be a serious change in the way the public money is spent.
With the infastructure problems that are in the area , I just feel that it will be later rather than sooner.
In smaller municipalities in Ontario there is access to both federal and provincial funds for such projects. One of the most common criteria is the ability of the municipality to generate matching funds. Prince Edward county should have no problem doing that given the support for the team, heck if they made it an eco-friendly, "green" facility perhaps more funding would be available.
I doubt any money for the new arena would be coming out of the Duke's pockets. I would most likely be funded by some level of government, or a grant or community fund raiser.
