LETHBRIDGE, ALTA. -- The hopes of getting geared up and back on the ice for many kids and families across the province have come to a halt for the season.

Hockey Alberta announced yesterday that all AAA, AA and Tiered Leagues were done for 2020-21.

This came as a shock to Chantel Timmons, President for the Bow Island Minor Hockey Association, who was told there would be a town hall meeting with Hockey Alberta this Thursday.

“Yesterday, at 3:18, we got a message saying we are no longer going to entertain continuing with our season,” said Timmons.

“It was just, wow, it’s actually over. There’s nothing to look forward to.”

In addition to being the President for BIMHA, Timmons is also a concerned hockey parent and knows that it’s the kids who are getting the short end of the stick.

“It’s not about the fans, it’s not about the parents, this is 100 per cent about the kids and maintaining their love for hockey and love for the game. What do we do to bring them back and get them playing without losing the sport?”

She says that there’s no hope of a spring season either as they aren’t able to keep the ice running any longer.

Fortunately, the Lethbridge Minor Hockey Association, along with the City of Lethbridge, have plans to hopefully get the kids laced up sooner than later.

According to the LMHA’s general manager Keith Hitchcock, they’re working on a youth spring hockey program that could start within a few short months.

“We want to take that sour  taste in their mouth and we want to take that away,” said Hitchcock.

“We think we can do it with March, April. We’ve met with the city, we’ve designed a program, we’ve presented it to them.”

Hitchcock understands that not all leagues in southern Alberta have the same opportunities as them and are hoping to help out in any way they can.

“It’s our responsibility as the big brother and the lead in the zone draw that we look after these kids because eventually they could be our leisure AA kids anyways.”

With the future of hockey uncertain for many in the province, Timmons is worried that the kids will lose their passion for the sport.

“We need to look long- term,” she says. “We are going to have a generation of no hockey because kids have moved on and some haven’t developed the love of the game, and now maybe we don’t have them come back.”

For more information on the current restrictions for hockey in the province and what leagues have been cancelled, you can visit the Hockey Alberta website.