Richard Froese
South Peace News

Big Lakes County council has stated it will support local hockey players when they play only for a local High Prairie team.
At its regular meeting Sept. 28, council denied a request from the Peace River Sabres bantam hockey team that the county sponsor an advertisement in the program for home games. The team plays in the Edmonton Rural Bantam AA Hockey League.
Despite the fact five players from the High Prairie area are on the team, council would not support it.
“These kids don’t have to play in Peace River,” Reeve Ken Matthews says.
“If you want to open a can of worms, open this one.”
He referred to council receiving similar requests from other hockey and sports teams.
“These aren’t the only kids who play on a team out of town,” Matthews says.
“These kids should stay home and play hockey.”
Matthews mentioned local players also play on teams based in Grande Prairie, Whitecourt, and Fort Saskatchewan.
Another councillor suggests parents contribute more.
“If you want your kid to play hockey [on an out-of-town team,] pay for it,” Kinuso Councillor Ken Killeen says.
Peace River is a regional team with players also from Falher and Fairview, states a letter from the team.
“We are publishing a home game program and would like to offer you the opportunity to advertise in the program as a show of support for our hockey club.”