The town of St. Paul has approved a request to open the CAP Arena earlier for the upcoming 2025-26 season.
Council agreed to a September 5 opening date during their June 9 meeting, following the request from St. Paul Minor Hockey, the St. Paul Jr. B Canadiens and the St. Paul Figure Skating Club.
The arena usually opens mid-October, but the earlier opening date is to help local teams get ready for their seasons. CFO Mitchel Bachelet said the change will come with higher power, gas, and staffing costs, but said those costs could be balanced by savings in other departments. Bachelet also said that the September opening may create staffing issues during the busy time for the Parks and Recreation department.
Councillor Gary Ward, who is part of the CAP Arena committee and the minor hockey board, said the early start is essential since the Glendon Arena is under renovation and teams have nowhere to train. However, councillor Ron Boisvert raised concerns about the tension on the arena’s ice plant in warmer weather and questioned if the demand would justify the earlier opening, especially with the Clancy Arena expected to reduce pressure once it’s open.
Council agreed that the request was reasonable but several members, including Mayor Maureen Miller, said user groups will need to be apart of the financial responsibility or operating the arena for a longer season.
Council past the motion, and the Cap Arena will be open on September 5.
