Traditionally hockey and figure skating were the mainstays in winter activities in Muskoka, but over the last decade more choices have been offered to the youth of our community, and enrolment in these staple sports has been declining.

Both the Gravenhurst Minor Hockey Association and Gravenhurst Skating Club (GSC) have been struggling over the past couple of years, and have had to stretch to make ends meet.

While minor hockey has had some problems recently with declining enrolment, coaches and inner-club politics — and they aren’t out of the woods yet — the association seems to be on the upswing and gaining momentum.

Unfortunately the same can’t be said for the skating club, which is teetering toward closure before the season even starts.

A decision made recently by councillors to not completely subsidize the club’s ice time could be the last nail in the coffin, but council should not be held responsible for the floundering club’s fate.

GSC president Susan Blackmore’s appeal for support probably pulled at the heartstrings of council, but it is our elected officials’ duty to protect the coffers for the good of everyone, and unfortunately GSC has felt the blow.

Councillors gave where they could by providing free ice time for GSC’s morning Can-Skate classes, and giving a subsidized rate for the prime-time slots on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and on Sunday. But to ask the taxpayer to pick up the entire cost of prime ice time that would be quickly gobbled up and paid for by other organizations is not a responsible solution.

Mayor John Klinck’s comments could be seen as harsh, but he has a point.

“As a parent of minor hockey, I would be asking ‘what about me.’ If figure skaters don’t have to pay for ice, then hockey players shouldn’t have to pay for ice.”

Volunteers with GSC have been working tirelessly to try to figure out a solution to keeping the club open, and it is admirable that the club prices the activity within reach of families, but now is the time to start thinking outside the box when it comes to financial support. Go back to the basics. Make the difficult decisions. And instead of going after taxpayers’ money, it’s time Skate Canada became more involved.

Hopefully everyone concerned will come out in full force to the emergency meeting next Thursday, and let’s hope a solution to the problem will surface.

It would be a shame if skating went by the wayside in Gravenhurst, but it’s not up to council to come to the rescue. The club and the community need to find their own lifeline to keep this sport on the ice.