Rink acquires B.C. hockey programs
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 25/06/2020 (1971 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Winnipeg’s Rink Hockey Corp. is spreading its influence in Western Canada.
On Thursday, the local hockey development company that operates the Rink Hockey Academy and Rink Training Centre announced it had purchased the Kelowna, B.C.-based Pursuit of Excellence Hockey Academy and Edge of Excellence hockey schools.
POE has six teams in the Canadian Sports School Hockey League while the hockey school business, led by David Roy, has run hockey schools out of Winnipeg and Kelowna since mid-’90s.
The sale, scheduled to be completed July 1, is subject to the approval of B.C. Hockey and the CSSHL.
“From Day 1 of our operation starting in 2009 our goal was to spread our knowledge and our passion for development and developing young student athletes into young professionals,” said Rink president Ryan Cyr. “We’ve wanted to make a big of a mark as we can and the opportunity came in Kelowna with POE, one of the top organizations the past 15 years in Western Canada.
“I just think the timing was right. With the infrastructure we’ve built here, we feel we’re ready to take on more.”
Meanwhile, the Rink also announced that 50 Below Sports + Entertainment would be back as a tenant at the RTC. The WHL’s Winnipeg Ice, MJHL’s Winnipeg Blues and Manitoba Junior Ice Spring Hockey groups are solely owned and operated by Greg Fettes and Matt Cockell of 50 Below.
Unlike the Rink’s Winnipeg operation, which is centralized in a new facility on South Landing Drive, the POE teams are tenants spread out in various buildings in Kelowna and Vernon. That situation could change.
“In the near future, we’re going to operate that way and see where that leads us,” said Cyr, who is part of an ownership team that also includes Brad Rice, Tina Jones and Mike Keane.
“Obviously, we want to get to know the market and the needs of the market. It’s all fresh and came together really quickly. Down the road, (a centralized facility is) a possibility.”
Roy will remain with the Kelowna business, which currently employs 22 staff. The Rink facility houses 55 employees.
Cyr said the Kelowna operation will be rebranded — perhaps as The Rink Kelowna or The Rink B.C.
mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca
Twitter: @sawa14