Amherst Ramblers, Town of Amherst sign one-year agreement
A one-year agreement for the use of the Amherst Stadium by the Amherst Ramblers Jr. A Hockey Club during the 2020-2021 Maritime Hockey League season, was signed by the club and the Town of Amherst on Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2021.
“We are pleased that we have reached this agreement with the Amherst Ramblers,” Mayor David Kogon said. “The team has a long, successful history in Amherst and is an integral part of our community. It is one of the great organizations in our town that help make our community a great place to live, work and play.
“The town would like to thank the team for its co-operation in past years and in reaching this agreement. We wish the team much success this year and
urge residents to support our Ramblers.”
Team president Ron Lake was also pleased with the deal, saying the “team is grateful for the tremendous support we’ve received over the years from the town, its citizens and the surrounding area.”
Lake thanked the town for helping the team adapt to “the ever-changing schedule” brought about by modifications to the provincially mandated COVID-19 protocols. He also thanked the town for agreeing to keep the ice in the stadium until the team’s hockey season is over.
While previous agreements have been multi-year deals, the two parties concluded a one-year deal was the best option at this time due to the unpredictability caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The terms of the agreement, which includes fees for ice rental, the responsibilities for security, insurance requirements and use of the stadium’s meeting room, are basically unchanged from the last agreement, a three-year deal that ended upon the conclusion of the Maritime Hockey League’s 2019-20 season.
The new agreement does include a five per cent increase in the fees the club will pay to the town for the use of the facility, which represents about $1,000 in additional revenue for the town.
It also includes three new clauses related to the COVID-19 pandemic. One clause would allow the town to close the stadium due to the pandemic, while another would allow the cancellation of games as a result of the pandemic. In both cases, neither party would be held financially responsible for losses incurred by the other party due to the closure the stadium or cancellation of a game.
The third clause requires the Ramblers to follow all COVID-19 protocols established by governing bodies, such as the provincial government, public health or the town.
