www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Friday April 20, 2007 - 5 NATURAL ART By Kim Arnott Town ice, which rents for about $135 per hour to youth organizations, is about half the price of ice from the private arenas. Twin Rinks will officially open its doors as a The Twin Rinks complex, which will officially town-owned facility next Friday, following court be transferred to town ownership on Monday, approval of the town's $7.5 million purchase of includes two arenas, two shooting pads, a conthe bankrupt complex. cession stand, a retail pro shop and a restaurant. Despite a flurry of public controversy around Nina deVaal, the town's director of the purchase, Oakville Mayor Recreation and Culture, said Rob Burton says town residents "I don't know how it can the facility will be closed next will benefit from the deal, by be seen as anything but week to allow the town time gaining access to ice time at a good deal for the town to inspect it and arrange much lower rates than the pri- and its citizens." staffing. vate arena was offering. She noted that the town "I don't know how it can be Oakville Mayor Rob Burton plans to keep the facility open seen as anything but a good through to the end of July, deal for the town and its citiand has committed to continzens," said Burton, who noted uing scheduled men's hockey, it would cost between $17 and $19 million to summer camps and a 3 on 3 league through that build a new twin-pad arena. period. "We are working with every user to make "We'll take this time to meet with staff and sure they have a smooth transition," he added. community groups to address any concerns and The purchase is also viewed as good news by to learn from their experience," said deVaal. Wayne Moorehead, a vice-president with the A report is scheduled to go to town council in Minor Oaks Hockey Association (MOHA). June to outline various operating options for the "With Twin Rinks going under the town facility. Council will need to decide what to do umbrella, it will provide more access to all user with Twin Rinks amenities like the on-site groups," he noted. restaurant and pro shop, as well as whether to Moorehead, who has made a number of include the facility in the town's ice allocation appearances before town council meetings to policy, which outlines how ice time is made plead for more ice time in Oakville, notes that available to various groups. MOHA had a waiting list with more than 100 Dick Decloe, whose supporters conducted an would-be players on it last year. e-mail blitz of the town over the weekend, said "Everyone is jammed for ice time, and from he is pleased to see that the summer hockey the youth group perspective, there's really not camps will go forward as scheduled. an opportunity to introduce new programs or In recent years, the camps have attracted events, because the inventory of ice time just between 600 and 700 kids over eight weeks. isn't there," he said. Decloe, who has operated the Dick Decloe Last year, MOHA rented about 22 hours a Hockey Academy at Twin Rinks for the last three week of ice time from Twin Rinks, as well as 26 years, says he intends to continue to operate the hours per week from Canlan, to supplement its hockey school, and plans to rent ice time as allocation of ice time at town-owned rinks. needed at various facilities. SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER DENDROBIUM ORCHIDS from ELEGANT ARUMS $ Hand-tied Collections Vases extra 5900 905-829-9400 SCENTED FREESIA for delivery only no charge for Oakville ...Redefine Your Living Space We design and build Bathrooms . Kitchens . Basements The 2006 MINI $25,900. $25,900. The 2007 MINI FAMILY OWNED & RATED OPE THE New 2007 MINI ( Really... ) Only the roof (and the price) are the same. We've completely rebuilt it from the ground to... almost all the way up. Still a non-believer? Come in to MINI Oakville... At $25,900, you will believe. More than 20 years of experience 198 Speers Road, Oakville minioakville.com 2454 South Service Road, Oakville 905.469.6220 905-845-9675 www.flowerworks.ca Town closes deal on $7.5-M purchase of Twin Rinks