A plan to bring the 2027 Ontario Gymnastics Championships to Leamington is now, literally, on ice.
Leamington council announced at its meeting on Tuesday night that it was withdrawing its support of a bid to bring the gymnastics event to the Nature Fresh Farms Recreation Centre, after concerns were raised about a potential conflict with the Leamington Flyers.
Councillor Paul Tiessen introduced a motion for reconsideration, reversing the council's approval of the bid presented at the March 10 meeting.
The bid, if successful, would have required the ice at Highbury Canco Arena to be removed for the duration of the event. This would have forced the Flyers to find another place to play if the team had been engaged in the postseason at that time.
Councillor Heather Latam apologized to Rose City Gymnastics, which was behind the bid, and took not only the Flyers to task for a perceived lack of communication, but also residents who hid behind their computers to personally attack officials.
"People were quick to react instead of trying to discuss rationally. We've been bullied and abused online," said Latam. "Thank you to the people who emailed us with their concerns, lobbying us, and using polite language and passion to lobby for their cause."
Mayor Hilda MacDonald criticized the hockey club's ownership while defending the previous decision to support the gymnastics bid.
"We did look at all the benefits to the business community," said MacDonald. "Five thousand people investing for five days was a lot more money than 1,800 people at $10 or whatever."
The mayor also urged residents to treat one another with respect and refrain from resorting to insults or threats to get their point across.
The Municipality and the Flyers have since confirmed that the team had signed a Memorandum of Understanding and will continue to play in Leamington for the foreseeable future.
"The Flyers have reaffirmed their intention to remain in Leamington for years to come, continuing to build a championship-calibre program and to contribute positively to the community and its passionate fan base," read a joint media release. "Moving forward, both parties recognize the importance of maintaining a collaborative and transparent process."
