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Jam». 3 3 _,_. .3," merger byantllpercent \‘tltt‘. fewer volunteers made it hard for officials to in ». ' . »- . » . 1 ' '_; -'- 1, > . . M ._ ‘ Merging associations In minor hockey is malntaintwoseparateawxjatjoiu “ ' , ‘ ', ~.1&.»1'."*.«_ 11 ' '3;£"z.v {' '1‘" 1‘11.1111=1’.;1->1?‘1,5' .? ‘ nothing new. according to Ontario Minor The end result was a merger in 2012 that 11 "‘ 1 ‘ 1 Hockey Amiation executive dimtor Richard gave the new Peterborough Hockey Associzi BY Harm Coon] form enough teams in the various age groups Ropchan. [ion L4“) players. induding 1.100 in its house VT{Qf’fldjfw‘f‘“1171"?“““13, 7 to compete in the h‘lllsktlkiirptll’ry Sound He acknowledges enrolment Is on the league ‘ llmfirtyleaguc decline. which. in some instances has nears» "Everyone realized the numbers were :[‘ll(‘ Mac’l'Ier Arena Is a quaint commu “It has been ndical III nature. One year we tated the move toward amalgamation dropping,” said John Welsh. the president ot nity building that was at the centre of ti would have enough to form three or four bctvveen smaller. regional groups But at the the PHA. “There was always a big rivalry \l’lahk‘ mntroversy teams. But two or three years ago. we were same time. he cautioned against iwr-analyz- hetween tie two. on the if and otfthe ice. for last year, the local niiiriicipalitv suggested only able to fomi one representative hockey mg the figures. saving the slide In numbers "is some 30 years or so. Some parents wouldnt turning the small rink Into It medical rnanrua team. That Isn‘t much ofa hockeycluh." not alarming" even Elk to others parents would also try to lid plant. l‘be rink t osts taxpayers mones‘ l‘he drop In minor hockey numbers amiss “Kids areplayingother sports I think our figure out which association they would put $10,000 per year III rental reseiiue t'ompand the country Isn't new ‘\(‘t ording to Hockey iiilture is a lot busier and there are a whole lot their kids in When we got “W to do this to Its £50111) otwmtingtusr. lbe lovmship oi (ariada. dethnstng numbers plague the sport. more options for kids and faniilim. Overall the (merger), we knew this was the best thing for ( ,eorgi‘an Bay. looking to pare dots-II ( osts, mtb only I() per unit ofeligjble young players decline is slight but not drastic. wearestill pm- th. under one umbrella and min noted a decline Iii hockey use on the |( 1‘ sur suiting up siding programming for more than ”DIX” Ingforward." tau- asone reason for shifting Its fonts In JIM-(H. nwstnition sat ill 584.674 plus kids a year. A lot of reasons for the amalgam Talks for the merger began in 2012 and it An outraged elutorati- ruined I‘H'n VIII on to it” 2. that number had dropped to trons and mergers have to do With the level or was approved bytheOMIlA that same vear. III ‘ legend Hi ititri 0n weighed In. .Iiid the gum around $72,!!!) player's \ome minor hockey pnigrammingthat Is prered. time for the new asvmtion to Start the an: op Idea went upin smoke organizers worn; that could (imp bx another "There Is also a decline In the volunteer 20” season. I lnder this cloud of smoke emerged tniii fillillltwer the next fewyearx base too. so ”kW pool their n‘StRln‘l“ .ind an Welsh said today the association Is going its tiling news about dropping minor hm km In itintr‘ast. minor soccer n‘gistnition has ers end up as the beneficiaries so tbes (an strong as ever. with registration for Its rep numbers, which falls directly on one of the flirted With the TIXMXI) mark III (Alliltld the envy the game." besaid teams alreadyhlled. and around I!) per tent of .In:na'.s pnman' tenants, the North Muskokii past few seasons lhe downturn in hockey registration III Its bruise leagueplavers Signed up for the [hint lightmrg Minor IkxieyAssotfiation. t loser to home, Alliantrllot ktW.i|l1ltmlllll t )nmno Is not restricted to small towns either season I )an ”gain was the pfi'SKk‘nl of the asso moon servmg most of southern ()ntano, said Ihc ( .Itv of Htertxirougi boasts ti regional “It has worked verywell. 'lhe first war was .i IMHO” the past fess years. lhe group was one there were appriixitiiati-h‘ 260!!!) youngsters population (lose to 120.000. but men this lllllt' rough. the second year was .1 bit of the smallest minor hockey (immatures in who played hockes In the pn NIHt‘t‘ last war bakes/bi rtbed is seeing trade. stinnd‘im.1lhe City has to deal With ooh one irritant) With registratkin ofaround 50 players III north \Iiiskokii. the lightning minor About two years ago. the l ”V had two association on ice time. Before the two sides per year And vet. it has ant-Ks to four small bodies .tssniiiition and Its l’on (riding (oiiII groups. the I’etednmugh ( l)tllllllllllt\ ( .burt‘h had different trimmers and that used to be .i Iiivm rinks each of whit b housed Its (WWI ti'rptms derided to lm‘Ht’ their own troubling Hoikn league and the I'k-terhonitigh \Iinor problem. We have more volunteers. pun-tits Independent bucket dub until tuniout plum registration problems by merging the (“II Hoikn Association Ihe I’MIH and H t III are happy and working tog-trier ”NW an: .I meted (tubs voted thrush-linings this war to illlLlI operated side by side for more than '10 wan lot ofpeopk' committed for the kids and that‘s last \‘ear. the assot Milt)” wasn‘t able to L:dlll.llt‘. Wltll Iiii'tnberships approving the but (lt'( lining numbers. Lick of tie time and what'tssupposed to happen." besaid . », "14 .~. , » . . ..». . ’. at??? 1.x: ‘1 .. I! ._ . 5%“ "a: *» w .:. 53% » a? - “ «=4 ‘ ‘ he“ ‘ ’ l . ;' ‘:ai.¢.-..M*» ,1 .~ ~ ,1? _.,. ,g ,. DURCHASE W,» M as H, a ‘ t. :_ : : . :v. : ‘33:?“ , ”at. t J .. oinsthos A ._ ,1 \ H -' 1% if 1" _ . 3 Us outmr : ' ‘ W . ":2 14, .; ~ , A?“ "‘ . omnsueon w 7 gab». 1:, a". $5" A}: ' &( 9 h" "1.? i 3:13.. .. 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