An owner of the Cowichan Capitals is asking if the Cowichan Valley Regional District will compensate the hockey club for lost revenue caused by a warming centre that has been set up inside Cowichan Community Centre.
John Dewar, who heads the five-person Island Capitals Sports and Entertainment Group that owns the B.C. Hockey League franchise, wrote to the district mid-December saying that the Capitals were not consulted or advised of the change despite being tenants of the centre.
Dewar said that with the beer garden which normally operates out of the hall out of service, multiple season-ticket holders have called to say they will not be attending games until there is a beer garden.
“Although we do not operate the beer gardens, the Heritage Hall is still a fundamental part of our business operations and absolutely will cause financial hardship yet again to the Cowichan Capitals,” Dewar wrote, adding that the hockey club will not be able to pay the lease agreements if they are unable to generate enough revenue.
On game days, there are often tables set out in the Heritage Hall, and attendees often go to the hall for a drink during intermissions or after the game. The hockey rink’s mezzanine accessible seats are also accessed through the hall.
The regional district designated the community centre’s second-floor Heritage Hall as a 20-person warming centre after Duncan councillors narrowly voted against locating a shelter in a church.
In Duncan, only St. Andrews Church came forward to offer its location as an extreme-weather shelter this year. One neighbourhood resident said that when the warming shelter was open last winter, she called police twice due to people yelling in the street who appeared to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
So far this season, the Cowichan Community Centre warming centre has been activated three times, opening through the night starting at 9 p.m. on Dec. 12, Dec. 19, and Friday.
Managed by Lookout Housing and Health Society, the centre is expected to run until the end of March.
On Friday, a spokesperson for the district said they will be able to answer questions from the Times Colonist after Jan. 10 when the matter is expected to appear before the regional district board.
