DAN CEARNS, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, for The Standard
UXBRIDGE: After a bit of a wait, the Township of Uxbridge expects to be able to safely open their arena this week. On Friday, October 2nd, the township announced they expect the arena on Brock Street will open on Wednesday, October 14th, “if not sooner.” “After consultation with our user groups, we have a solution that keeps our participants safe, gets kids on the ice and shares the financial risks. It was important to ensure the costs of a sudden or unexpected closure were not completely borne by our taxpayers,” Mayor Dave Barton said, in a statement. “This community is passionate about hockey and skating, and I am glad we were able to work collaboratively with users to make this happen.” Doug Dunlop of the North Durham Minor Hockey Association stated his excitement about this announcement. “We look forward to a safe and well managed return to our activities, and are appreciative of the collaborative approach that was undertaken with the Township,” his statement read. In early September, councillors had discussed their concerns with opening the arena, mostly centered around the uncertainties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.