Islanders seek continued support from Gananoque council
The defending Eastern Ontario Super Hockey League champions, the Gananoque Islanders, are looking to renew an agreement with town council.
During Tuesday’s council meeting, a recommendation will be heard regarding exclusive use of the team dressing room, showers and team office at an annual rate.
That rate, which is new to the agreement, is to be discussed.
The other request is for the use of 16 spaces on the dasher boards at the Lou Jeffries Gananoque and TLTI Recreation Centre.
In 2021, council passed a bylaw to permit the Gananoque Senior Islanders to have exclusive use of the team dressing room, shower and an office at the recreation centre. The facility usage was given to the team free of charge.
Staff has reached out to Eastern Ontario municipalities to get a sense of what other teams are charged for exclusive use of a dressing room. The only response was from Sterling, which is charging $1,350 plus HST per season.
Furthermore, council approved the Gananoque Senior Islanders to have16 spaces on the Lou Jeffries recreation centre dasher boards for three seasons. The team then sells the ads to various businesses as a fundraiser. That agreement concluded at the end of the 2023-24 season.
Staff’s recommendation to council is that the town continues to support the Senior Islanders in order for the hockey club to sustain its success on and off the ice.
Town staff met with Jeff McEwen, the Islanders’ owner, and coach and general manager Tom Dickson on May 2. According to staff’s report, they are looking at a one-year agreement starting September 2024.
All other terms and conditions of the current agreements are carried forward to the new agreements.
The town will invoice the Islanders for 16 spaces for dasher board advertising, based on pricing approved by council for the 2024-25 season, as well as invoice the Islanders for all ice rentals and hall rental spaces once dates and times have been agreed to, based on pricing approved by council for the 2024-25 ice season.