By DONNA KENNY KIRWAN

PAWTUCKET — Does the recent privatization of the Dennis M. Lynch Ice Arena — and with it, the loss of what was free ice time to city schools — mean the end of the hockey program at Tolman High School?

That is a very real fear, especially given the Pawtucket School Department’s budget woes, according to Tolman and Shea High School Athletic Director John Scanlon. Scanlon said last night that since the rink has now been sold to a private company, Blackstone Valley Sports, the Tolman hockey team will now be charged a fee of $215 an hour for ice time for its practices, which would mean an additional $12,000 a year being added to the school sports budget.
Scanlon admitted that he had not yet sat down with Schools Supt. Hans Dellith or other school officials since learning about the additional charge.
He said he had heard rumors about the hockey program losing its free ice time privileges that had always been in effect since the city-owned rink was built once the rink was sold. However, he said he didn’t know for certain about the $215 an hour fee until the new owners took over operation of the rink on August 1 as part of the transition to the official sale.
“That $12,000 is not in there (the school budget) to the best of my knowledge,” said Scanlon. “As I understood it, the best scenario was that we were going to be level-funded.”
Scanlon stressed that “I want to play hockey. But, if I have to cut from all of the other sports to make up $12,000, I just can’t do it. Where would I cut from?”
Scanlon said he is not surprised to learn that Tolman will be charged a fee for the ice time now that the rink has been privatized. However, he said he wishes that city officials had given more thought to this matter before selling the property.
Some remarks that Scanlon had reportedly made to some hockey parents at Lynch Arena earlier that day prompted a large group to turn out at Wednesday’s City Council meeting. Their appearance — and the news — took the council by surprise, and several council members, including Council President Henry Kinch Jr., said they had not heard anything about the Tolman hockey program being in danger of being cut.
Several parents said that Scanlon’s remarks had reverberated through high school hockey circles, and phone calls had been quickly been made urging Tolman hockey supporters to attend the council meeting.
Mike Speight, who has been involved for many years with the Pawtucket Youth Hockey Association, also said he had heard rumors that the program being cut, and had come to the meeting out of concern.
Kinch and Councilor Albert Vitali Jr. told those assembled that they would contact school and hockey officials in the morning and get to the bottom of the situation. After several speakers addressed the situation, Kinch said, “Nothing has been cut, and several members of this council will do everything they can to see that the program is on.”
Vitali, who has been openly critical of the decision to sell the rink to BV Sports, also said he did not know anything about the threat to the Tolman hockey program prior to that evening’s council meeting.
Councilor John Barry told the audience that the decision about the hockey program is ultimately up to the School Committee. He also noted that the recent property tax increase “is due to the School Department” and urged them to voice their concerns with school officials instead of the council.
School Committeewoman Amy Breault Zolt, the only School Committee member in attendance, said she had only learned of the issue that afternoon when she received phone calls from parents upon her return from vacation. She also said she was surprised to hear of the rumors, and assured those in attendance that the School Committee “has no intention of cutting hockey.” She said that money for the hockey program had been included in the budget (however, as of press time, it was unclear whether this included any provision for the additional $12,000 that will be needed to pay for ice time.”
The Tolman Hockey program also includes hockey players who live in the Shea High School District. Because Shea no longer has its own hockey program, hockey playing students are allowed to attend Tolman and play on the Tolman team, Scanlon said.
As of press time, no representatives from Blackstone Valley Sports could be reached for comment.
The city itself had raised the ice time fees at Lynch Arena last season, which caused an increase in costs for hockey programs and skating clubs from outside of Pawtucket.