From the Toronto Star
For Burke, affordability is the key to the future of the sport, both in the availability of ice for kids to develop and of equipment for kids to use.
“We have to keep the game available, affordable and to make sure we’re always looking at alternatives,” said Burke. “If we can’t afford to build 365-day-a-year refrigerated ice rinks in Canada, why don’t we build roller rinks where players can play in-line (hockey) in the summertime? We have to focus on alternatives where we can develop skills. . . . In-line hockey is a wonderful development tool. We haven’t used it properly.”
Burke cited the changing demographic of Toronto with its large influx of new Canadians who don’t understand hockey as one challenge, and the expense of the sport as another.
Renting ice time can cost up to $400 an hour in Toronto. Outfitting kids with skates, sticks and the rest of the equipment, if bought new, can go over $1,000.
“How do we get ice time at a subsidized rate? Can you do an equipment recycling program, where kids are able to use equipment other players have outgrown but is still perfectly good in terms of safety?” said Burke.
“The cost to play this sport is really prohibitive,” said Yzerman. “Everyone should be involved in the solution, from the equipment manufacturers on down. You need kids playing the sport to sell equipment. It’s just good business.”
Exactly.
