"We need more skating rinks tomorrow morning"

The group submitted their report to Laval mayor Gilles Vaillancourt and the executive committee of Laval City Council. These volunteers have not given up on their dream. "We've brought it up to the mayor on several occasions. We need additional ice surfaces tomorrow morning. There is a crying need!" urged Mr. Demers, corporation president who also presides over the affairs of minor hockey in Laval.

Scenario 2 is based on a facility which could easily be a venue for both sports and cultural events. This proposal puts forth two rinks of standard North American size (smaller than Olympic dimensions) and two smaller ice surfaces. The amphitheatre would have a seating capacity of 3,500 to 4,500. The cost of this 'dream' is estimated at $45 million.

The third scenario, a facility with stands accommodating 7,000 was set aside because the corporation felt itself incapable of sustaining the project's bottom line price tag of $96 million.

The feasibility study conducted by the Corporation du Complexe sports de glace (hockey, figure skating, speed skating, ringuette) was made possible by a $10,000 grant awarded by the Vaillancourt administration. Another $10,000 was kicked in by other levels of government.

As a consequence, most of the sports associations are negatively affected by a shortage of ice time available for practice in Laval rinks, forcing them to book hundreds of hours in rinks outside Laval island. The cost of running programs for the 2007-2008 season alone will end up costing Laval minor hockey associations about $500,000 for ice rental in and around Laval.

There are ten arenas on Laval island, nine of which are owned by the city, the tenth (Colisée de Laval) is in private hands. No current Laval municipal arena is capable of accommodating spectators in the thousands that usually turn up at different provincial, national or international tournaments and events related to sports on ice.