The Cochrane Lions Event Centre is making strides with community bookings, only weeks after the local service club entered into a lease with the town of the centre – the former home of the curling club.
With its appealing location at 109 Fifth Ave., spacious size and ample parking, club members said the community response has been favourable.
“We’re getting lots of calls – and even a lot of inquiries for long-term rentals,” said Lions Rodeo chair Kevin Firkus.
Tim Haight, the chair of the Lions centre booking committee, said as long as all goes well, the Lions would look for a long-term lease in 2019 with the town.
The fact that the centre is not hindered by the recent bylaw passed by the town – prohibiting smoking (including e-cigarettes) on all town-owned recreational facilities – appears to be a win for the community space.
The bylaw prohibits smokers from lighting up on the property (including the parking lots) at Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre (SLSFSC), the Cochrane Arena, baseball diamonds and soccer fields.
Ellison Smith, tournament director for the Cochrane Mixed Dart League, said while the league has held its annual tourney at SLSFSC for the last two years, the new bylaw is too restrictive and booking at the Lions Event Centre was a better choice.
“That was the main consideration … we would have lost about 30 per cent of our players (the smokers),” he said.
Smith questions the enforceability of the bylaw and thinks other clubs might struggle with bookings at the popular multiplex facility.
The dart tourney runs June 23 to 25.
Bill Gibbons is an avid Cochrane billiards player who has facilitated different pool leagues throughout the years and is advocating for a games centre for Cochrane seniors.
An ex-smoker himself, he also foresees struggles with enforcement – given that pool leagues always have a few smokers on deck.
Robin Mitchell, general manager of SLSFSC, said that to date, he has not received any negative feedback regarding the bylaw since it was passed and that the multiplex facility is busy with bookings.
