Free bus rides proposed to Hounds games (and tailgate parties)

Ward 1 Couns. Sonny Spina and Sandra Hollingsworth will ask city council next week to consider allowing tailgating events at GFL Memorial Gardens for some Soo Greyhounds home games.

Revenue could be raised by renting out designated tailgating spots in the city-owned Gardens parking lot, the councillors say.

They will also ask that consideration be given to allowing free bus rides to Hounds games for fans who show a game ticket. 

Monday's council meeting will be livestreamed on SooToday starting at 4:30 p.m.

The following is the full text of the Spina/Hollingsworth resolution:

Soo Greyhounds tailgate events

Whereas the City of Sault Ste. Marie has a long and celebrated history with the Soo Greyhounds Hockey Club; and

Whereas Soo Greyhounds hockey events provide an entertaining and engaging atmosphere for residents of and visitors to Sault Ste. Marie; and

Whereas attendance at Soo Greyhounds hockey events have a positive impact on our community and our economy by:

• attracting visitors to Sault Ste. Marie
• increasing nights of hotel stays
• helping to build a sense of community and pride in our community
• helping to build a brand sense with the hockey club as well as a sense of tradition and pride for the hockey club and its supporters
• allowing for fans and supporters to be surrounded by and to create their own entertainment related to the sporting events
• helping to increase the social interactions of people in our community; and

Whereas other communities have created an environment for tailgating to form part of their culture and have been able to safely allow for tailgating at events in their community; and

Whereas ownership of the Soo Greyhounds Hockey club are supportive of the city creating a tailgating environment for fans to help enhance the fan experience; and

Whereas the City of Sault Ste. Marie is responsible for parking at the GFL Memorial Gardens and will be able to generate revenue for the city by charging a reasonable fee for access to tailgating parking spots for sporting events

Now therefore be It resolved that staff be requested to review the process to allocate and rent or provide parking spaces at the GFL Memorial Gardens and create a tailgating environment for a limited number of Soo Greyhounds home games.

In that review, staff would engage with the Soo Greyhounds Hockey Club and other stakeholders in order to create a positive fan environment.

In addition, staff report on the ability for the city to provide free bus service, (perhaps by showing a game ticket) to and from the GFL Memorial Gardens during these events for the transportation of people to and from the site.