On January 26, 2021, Council resolved to close the Winfield Arena for the remainder of the 2020-2021 Season. The Winfield Arena has been closed since late November due to the Government of Alberta COVID-19 restrictions. It is not viable for the County to continue to maintain the ice in Winfield when there is no clear timeline for when indoor recreation facilities will be allowed to reopen. The Northern Alberta Interlock Minor Hockey League, which Winfield Minor Hockey is a part of, has cancelled the rest of their hockey season and Hockey Alberta has already cancelled Provincial Championships for the 2020-2021 Season. Additionally, the Winfield Minor Hockey Association accounts for 74% of ice rented at the Winfield Arena. These factors combined with the expenses already incurred by the County over the last two months have made maintaining the ice in Winfield unstainable for the 2020-2021 Season.
“The COVID-19 Pandemic has created challenges for many residents and business owners in the County of Wetaskiwin, particularly in the field of recreation. Although recreation continues to be an important part of our daily lives, it is no longer financially viable for the County to continue to operate the Winfield Arena during the COVID-19 shut down” stated Reeve Josh Bishop, “we know this will be disappointing for many families in the County, but we look forward to a safe and healthy 2021-2022 season.”