Purpose statement
To define the process for allocating, distributing and managing ice resources in the Town of Oakville Arenas.
Scope
This procedure applies to all groups or individuals renting or booking ice time for the purpose of recreational, educational, athletic or social activities during the regular ice season.
Procedure
1. Standards of play for each use
Each sport or activity making use of ice within the town’s control has been assigned a standard of play, based upon national/provincial or generally accepted standards as well as the local history of the sport or activity group. Standards consider the implications of
several factors including: the specific nature of the sport or activity; the amount of time needed for a quality program; the number of participants per block of ice time; time requirements per participant; age of participants and the relative level of participants as determined by skill or other factors (e.g. rep versus house league teams). Each sport or activity will have its standard approved by the town. The town will establish a review process to examine the time actually used by a sport or activity in relation to its standard. At the town's discretion, the review findings could result in adjustments to a selected sport or activity standard of play. See Schedule A – Standards of Play
2. Calculation of supply
The supply of ice will be the amount of time in the town’s control. Maintenance time or time that would be otherwise unusable will be removed from the total supply calculation. Flood times will be included in the blocks of time allocated to users. The total available ice time will be broken into three categories.
Prime time - Monday through Friday, 6:00 p.m. to 9:59 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 6 a.m. to 10:59 p.m. (representing 54-one hour blocks of ice time per week per ice surface).
Shoulder time - Monday through Friday, 5:00 p.m. to 5:59 p.m.; Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 6:59 a.m.; and Monday through Friday, 10:00 p.m. to 10:59 p.m. (representing 15-one hour blocks of ice time per week per ice surface).
Non prime time - Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 4:59 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 11:00 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. (representing 47-one hour blocks of ice time per week per ice surface).
3. Calculation of demand
Demand for ice time by user groups will be calculated by considering the actual current demand (as demonstrated by the previous season's registration), plus substantiated future demand (as demonstrated by an annual registration process inclusive of participants on waiting lists) and by applying the standard of play to each group of users within organizations. The sum of all groups’ demands will equal the total demand for the upcoming season.
4. Annual registration process
The registration process will involve an application procedure for requesting ice time for each season. When possible, the timing of the registration process will be linked to the registration cycle of groups. Process documentation will set out the information that is required to substantiate ice requests by each organization as well as the responsibilities of groups in collecting relevant data.
5. Priority status for ice allocation (prime time)
The priority for prime time ice allocation will be:
First Priority: Town of Oakville Programs and Services
Second Priority: Youth – CORE Members
Third Priority: Adult – CORE Members
Fourth Priority: Youth – Non-CORE Members
Fifth Priority: Adult – Non-CORE Members
Sixth Priority: Commercial Groups
Seventh Priority: Non-Resident Groups
While not identified in the priority ranking, the Oakville Blades Junior A Hockey Club will be guaranteed their current ice allotment (six-hour practice) and required game slots.
6. New user groups
New groups of users may be included in the allocation of ice time if it is demonstrated (through the annual registration process) that there are sufficient participants to qualify for ice time and that there is sufficient ice available. Given that new groups have the potential of reducing the number of hours available to existing users, new user groups will only be considered in cases where a program provides a service to previously un-serviced segments of the population or where a new program is being introduced that is not available through existing organizations.
7. Calculation of supply-demand ratio
The total number of prime time and shoulder time periods of ice within the Town’s inventory represents total supply. The supply-demand ratio is calculated by dividing total ice supply by the total demand.
8. Calculation of ice allocation
The allotment of each group’s ice will be calculated using an allocation formula. The formula is: the percentage of total demand that the group represents multiplied by the supply-demand ratio (described above) and proportionally split between prime and shoulder times
Note: Adult ice users will have access to shoulder time after 10:00 p.m.
9. Use of Allocated Ice Time
Each group is responsible to divide the allocated ice time amongst subgroups (age groups, teams, etc.) within the organization in accordance with either established rules of the organization or in keeping with the principles of fairness and equity as described in this procedure. Groups are at liberty to adjust the allotted time between subgroups or types of uses based on the unique aspects of the sport or use.
Definitions
Department programs: programs and other initiatives that are organized by town staff or provided by contractors on behalf of the municipality. Currently, this includes public skating, adult learn to skate, hockey skills, adult non-contact hockey, power skating, parent and tot skating, parent and tot hockey, shinny, and special needs initiatives. This list of programs could expand or contract as market conditions evolve or as the needs of Oakville residents change.
CORE members: members of Community Organizations in Recreation and Education - A Town of Oakville Membership based program that offers not-for-profit, volunteer community groups and organizations support in delivering their services to the community.
Youth - CORE members: user groups in this category must be CORE members and must be largely comprised (minimum of 85%) of youth under 19 years of age.
Adult - CORE members: user groups in this category must be CORE members and comprised of individuals over 19 years of age.
Youth – non-CORE members: user groups in this category are not required to be CORE members, but must be largely comprised (minimum of 85%) of youth under 19 years of age.
Adult – non-CORE members: user groups in this category are not required to be CORE members, but must be comprised of individuals over 19 years of age.
Commercial groups: user groups in this category are defined as organizations or individuals that use ice time with the intent of generating positive net income (profit). At the town's discretion, not-for-profit groups may be allowed to generate net income from the use of allocated ice time so long as the subject use aligns with the “fundamental activities” of the group.
Responsibilities
The Town of Oakville Recreation and Culture department shall be responsible for managing, allocating and distributing ice on an annual basis to reflect the guiding principles in the Facility Allocation Policy in addition to applying municipal, provincial and federal directives where required.
In consultation with users, the town will establish a process to ensure that net income producing activities of not-for-profit groups remain consistent with the goals, objectives and guiding principles of the Facility Allocation Policy as well as the best interests of Oakville residents.