The Town of Collingwood and Collingwood Blues Junior A hockey team ownership are still working to come up with a new contract for the tenancy of the Eddie Bush Memorial Arena.
While Blues ownership had hoped to sign the next contract prior to the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) deadline to commit of Jan. 15, or have the town extend the existing contract for another year to give both parties time to come up with a new contract, council opted to not grant either request, according to a motion passed at their Jan. 8 meeting.
As a result, Collingwood Blues owner Dave Steele decided to commit to the league anyway, including paying next year’s league fees, hoping that the Blues and the town can come to a resolution in time for the 2024-25 season. The existing contract expires Aug. 20, 2024.
In a statement released publicly by Mayor Yvonne Hamlin on Jan. 18, she said town council wishes the Blues continued success in their season.
Hamlin's statement also noted that council has identified a few important items within the existing 2019 contract for review that, she said, will ensure the team, stakeholders and the community have a successful outcome.
“Negotiations are forthcoming and we’re hopeful that a mutually beneficial agreement will be finalized shortly,” reads mayor's the statement.
When reached for comment, Hamlin clarified that she wanted to release a statement following input from residents on the issue.
“I felt that a statement would help address some of the concerns I was hearing in the community about the Blues' next hockey season,” the mayor said. “I know that both the town council and the Blues are looking forward to concluding successful discussions in the near future.”
Blues board member David Conning put a call out on social media for people to "show some love to the Blues" by submitting a message of support through a survey link. The results will be shared with council later.
When contacted for comment, Blues owner Dave Steele said he and the Blues executive are appreciative of Hamlin’s statement and are overwhelmed by the support of the community, but he's hesitant to say he has officially committed to the town.
“We don’t have an agreement. Until we have an agreement, nothing is 100 per cent,” Steele said.
“I have let the OJHL know that, as of now, I’m not leaving Collingwood. We are making plans expecting we will be in Collingwood,” he added. “If a negotiation is offside, obviously I reserve the right as a business to change.”
Collingwood councillors discussed the Blues contract during a closed meeting at their Jan. 8 council meeting, after receiving a letter signed by the team owners Dave and Christina Steele and the Blues board chair Terry Geddes, who's a former Collingwood mayor.
The letter, dated Dec. 19, 2023, asked the town to extend the Blues contract by a year, citing strict time commitment guidelines with the OJHL to plan for the 2024-25 season.
Following an in-camera session, council voted to not grant the request and continue negotiations with Blues ownership, and for the mayor send a letter to the OJHL to express appreciation for the Collingwood Blues in the community.
The existing Collingwood Blues contract (when signed, the team was called the Collingwood Colts), was signed by the town and Blues ownership and went into effect in 2019, following the Colts being awarded tenancy of the Eddie Bush Memorial Arena.
