Fernie Arena Update

As we inch closer to September

It’s June 20th and the longest day of the year is tomorrow... and no it’s not because I’ll have a hangover... The solstice is Thursday @ 4:07 AM

Everyone in town has been patiently awaiting an update from the City of Fernie on the arena renovations... So me being the impatient one, I did my own update for the Rider players and fans and all the other arena users.

Here it is.

Mike Mahon is one of the plumbers (and big hockey fan) working on the water system in the lobby area. Mike says the job is going well and the lobby area including washrooms should be finished within a couple of weeks.

That is a big step, at the time I talked to Mike some other contractors were getting the brine lines ready for the new plant. That is the second photo.

The City has also awarded the roofing contract and you can read that here    at the end of the interview they say that the rink should be ready in September. (The roof not being done would not stop the rink from opening on time)

Below is Mike Mahon who is on the job working  for Dale Johnson’s Plumbing and Heating. Check out some of the mangled water lines laying by the concession.

To the untrained eye the damage looks almost insurmountable, but when you have tradespeople who know what their doing they git er done.

President Bill Ohlhausen steps down...or retires

So the big news out of the KIJHL AGM last weekend was that longtime  President Bill Ohlhausen has stepped down after 17 years and the league is now actively looking for a new President... or a Commissioner . The difference, a President for the most part does what the Governors want and a Commissioner has a longterm vision and leads the league in that direction. 

We do know that Ohlhausen (sometimes unfairly)  took a lot of heat from the owners, GM’s, coaches and referees over the years and because he was the  President he was the guy who dealt with BC Hockey. Therefore he was right in the middle of the new face mask conspiracy (some think that word is appropriate) that ignited a firestorm throughout the league  because it was never voted on by the Governors. (Remember the difference between a President and a Commissioner )

Every year there are, and always will be, all kinds of player and carding issues that fans never hear about and the President is always right in the middle of it. He is constantly putting out fires and even gets justifiably angry once in a while... at one time he even called what we do here trash, one of my finest moments. For the record, he isn’t the only one with those values ... nothing personal here I’m good with it.

Anyway I wouldn’t be expecting an old school hockey guy like Bill Ohlhausen to spill his guts and tell the public exactly why he stepped down. But if he did it would be an interesting read.

The league had a great thing going with Bill and his wife/secretary  Mary who did a ton of paperwork for the league. That's another thing that the average fan knows nothing about, and they did both of those jobs for about  thousand a month... it’s two full time jobs for christ’s sakes.

So the betting here is the new guy will have to set up an office (guess where the office is now?) and hire a secretary. That will cost way way more than 1000 a month...maybe as much as $5000 per team, certainly $3000.

In other news...
Sixteen year Secretary/Treasurer John Surovy has also retired, another job to fill.

So at the moment Vice President and former Nelson President Larry Martel (another big fan of this column, or not) has taken over until the KIJHL decides what exactly they want to do and Eddie Mountain VP Kathy Merkel (a tireless volunteer) is filling in for Surovy.

I wish Bill and Mary and John all the best in the future, that was a very trying job.

The KIJHL’s AGM is this weekend... and the usual drivel

The KIJHL will be holding their AGM this weekend May 9th in Kamloops where they will likely finalize some sort of a hybrid crossover schedule with 49 games  (up from 47) and a “Showcase" featuring all teams just minutes after the Christmas break. 

I think these changes will make it through the AGM... but I’ve seen stranger things happen over the last 14 years that I've been covering the Riders in the KIJHL. 

If I had my way I’d add a few more changes.

1/  The “Media Time Outs” would be optional, if a team's local media doesn't need or want the buzz killing time out... then don’t have it, make it optional. 

2/ And, because they are paid and are forever preaching discipline to their players, the coaches suspensions should be listed along with the player suspensions on the KIJHL’s “Transaction Page” Especially the abuse of officials ones. Cause it’s hard to recruit new young officials and screaming and threatening never seems to help keep them in the game. It’s been tried before...

3/ Get Hockey Canada to do their job and use their powers to either make full face shields mandatory for all Jr B across the country or none, not just in BC... funny how BC Hockey wouldn’t dare even suggest that to the Jr A  BCHL... who would end up giving  them the old "Three Stooges” slap in the face and poke in the eyes . Nuk Nuk Nuk



New Ghostrider head Coach and General Manager Jeff Wagner was at the Alberni Valley Jr A camp in Cranbrook a few weeks ago then sent this out last week.

COMMITMENT ALERT: The Fernie Ghostriders are pleased to announce the KIJHL commitment of Defenceman Sawan Gill. Sawan played 24 games for the CNHA Canucks last year scoring 3 goals and adding 12 assists. Welcome to the organization @SGill71 !! #RiderPride

At the end of last season Grayson Neufeld  was picked by the coaches as the top defenceman and most inspirational player. Last week Neufeld was offered a chance to play at Minot State.

This from the Minot team website
"We are excited to add Grayson to our back end this upcoming season." Said Head Coach Wade Regier. "He is a player who has always prided himself on playing well in the defensive end. If you look at his numbers the last three seasons, they have continued to climb. We feel his best is still in front of him and will push him to improve each season.”


The Osoyoos Coyotes have hired former Melville Millionaire assistant coach Mark Chase as their Head Coach     read all about that here