A group of hockey parents are challenging the authority of Hockey Calgary after the board redrew the boundaries and reduced the number of minor hockey associations in Calgary from 14 to 11 ahead of the 2019/2020 season.
“There’s a group of associations that have taken the matter to the courts,” explained Danielle Melnyk, a hockey parent and spokesperson for the group. “The biggest argument, and what I think everybody should be aware of, is that the group really feels and believes that Hockey Calgary has stepped outside their mandate. They’re fundamentally changing the landscape of hockey as you know it in Calgary.”
The lawsuit was filed Monday, April 29, 2019.
“We just didn’t believe that A. there was a discernible reason that they would do that and B. we didn’t find that they did enough sufficient or comprehensive research to warrant these changes.”
Hockey Calgary’s plan would alter or eliminate several hockey associations including the Northwest Warriors, Glenlake, and the Calgary Saints.
“We’re not saying that this is us against Hockey Calgary, what we’re saying is we need the reasons, we need to understand why these changes are happening as this will affect thousands of hockey kids,” said Melnyk. “These changes are going to create some barriers to play for some of our players and we are concerned that there are going to be players that we’re going to lose.”
According to Melnyk, the lawsuit follows an unsuccessful attempt to reopen the conversation on boundaries through Hockey Calgary’s appeal process.
“The lawyers feel that there’s merit. They couldn’t find that Hockey Calgary was working within its mandate to make these changes, as well, they couldn’t find a discernible reason to make these drastic changes.”
The two sides are scheduled to appear in court on Friday, May 17.
