Memorial Gardens gets puck netting, maybe beer

Two months after refusing a request by Ward 6 Councillor Frank Manzo for end-zone puck screening at Memorial Gardens, City Council has reversed itself.

Councillors voted Monday night to spend between $12,000 and $16,000 to install the protective glass-to-ceiling netting to prevent flying-puck injuries like the one that killed 13-year-old Brittanie Cecil at a Columbus Blue Jackets game in March.

In April, Council agreed to spend $40,000 to raise the glass at Memorial Gardens and other City arenas, but Manzo was unable to get support for special screening, which was also requested by Peter Zulteck, who suffered permanent eye damage after he was struck by a puck Jan. 6 at a Soo Greyhounds game.

What changed Council's mind

Two things persuaded councillors to reverse their earlier decision.

First, the NHL decided last week to install protective netting in all its arenas. That, councillors were told on Monday, raises the bar in terms of liability.

"It would leave us wide-open exposed," Chief Administrative Officer Joe Fratesi said.

Second, the City got a call from its insurer, wondering whether it was planning to follow the NHL's lead.

It will take between four to six weeks to get the netting delivered, and another two to three weeks to install it, Council was told.

City staff are hopeful the safety netting will be in place by the start of the 2002-2003 Soo Greyhounds season.

Orazietti wants beer

In other business, last night's Council agenda originally contained a motion to defer the issue of beer sales at Memorial Gardens until the status of the City's application for provincial Superbuild funding for a new arena is decided.

But that motion was deferred and instead Ward One Councillor David Orazietti submitted a notice of motion calling for beer sales in the building's lobby, upper concourse, corporate boxes and Hall of Fame lounge during Greyhound games.

Text of notice of motion

Here's Orazietti's notice of a motion to presented at a future Council meeting:

"Whereas the Arena Study Review Committee has reviewed the sale of beer in the Memorial Gardens during the World Curling Tour event.

"Whereas the committee determined that the sale of beer confirmed the effectiveness of the Smart Serve program; and

"Whereas there were no alcohol-related problems at the event and the community services department's alcohol risk management policy includes the Memorial Gardens which assists in ensuring responsible service,

"Therefore be it resolved that the City of Sault Ste. Marie make application to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario for the sale of beer in lobby, upper concourse, corporate boxes and Hall of Fame lounge at the Memorial Gardens during Sault Greyhound Games."

Manzo asks about committee 'socialists'

Told Monday night that the Arena Study Review Committee wanted to wait until the provincial funding application is approved before debating the beer question, Councillor Manzo demanded to know how many committee members were "socialists" and how many were "abstainers."

Committee chair Jamie Caicco wasn't sure how to respond.

New tournament rate for ice time

Council also approved a new tournament rate for ice rentals at City arenas.

Told that this year's Steel City Tournament suffered a significant loss, councillors decided to establish a special tournament rate of $70 an hour, compared to the regular rate of $96.40 an hour.

The new rate is the same as the non-prime rate, and will be available only to associations that rent more than 200 hours of ice a season at municipally run arenas.

Tax break

In other news, Council voted to hire Patrick McAuley to replace Reg Avery as Commissioner of Public Works and Transportation.

And, councillors voted to preserve the one-third tax exemption on their honoraria and car allowances. Only Councillor Peter Vaudry opposed the decision, which is worth $5,230 a year to the Mayor and as much as $1,340 to each councillor. For background on that story, please click here.

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