Ice shortage in Leduc strains minor hockey operations

LEDUC -- A shortage of available ice surfaces in Leduc is straining minor hockey operations.

This is according to the Leduc Minor Hockey Association, who say that next season will mark the first time they will be forced to cap registration numbers due to the limited ice resources. Curtis Ferguson, President of the LMHA, says that the shortage of ice in Leduc has been a growing issue since 1995 and has been particularly impactful over the past several years. He's advocating for additional ice surfaces to be considered as part of the upcoming west campus rec centre. 

"We need practice ice -- a facility that can take the pressure off of the LRC," said Ferguson. "Even if it was dual practice ice where we have limited seating, maybe we're not hosting big events there, it's the practice ice."

Ferguson adds that many local sports associations have expressed their wishes for the new facility to also contain office and storage spaces to help the growing organizations meet their operational needs. He also notes that the main concern for local minor hockey is the need for practice space, which could be alleviated with the addition of new rinks at the proposed rec centre.

The rising demand for ice availability hasn't just been felt locally, but across all of Leduc County and the Edmonton Metro Region. In previous years, organizations like the LMHA had relied on facilities across the County, including those in Thorsby and Millet, to reduce the pressure of local demand. However, many of these facilities, such as those in Calmar and Nisku, have switched to a privatized model with local associations now forced to pay out of pocket for ice usage in those communities.

"We don't currently meet the recommended practice schedule in terms of a two-or-three-to-one practice to game ratio," said Ferguson. "To be honest though, most associations across the region probably don't meet that. There's an ice shortage all across the region."

Despite it being 74 years old, Ferguson notes the continued importance of the Alexandra Arena. While it's acknowledged that the facility will eventually need to be replaced, it continues to serve a strong purpose for local hockey needs. The Leduc Minor Hockey Association had 754 athletes registered during the 2025-2026 season.

One of the proposed amenities being considered as part of Leduc's west campus project is a twin arena, however, no final decisions have been made as to what the design specifics would look like.