The Clippers hockey team decided to take a shot and ask city council for a grant.
The Nanaimo Clippers are continuing their campaign to try to finalize the sale of the junior A hockey club from the previous ownership group to the new Clippers Hockey Society.
Andrea Trepanier, Clippers chief executive officer, said the campaign has “lost momentum” in recent weeks, which is one of the reasons she addressed city council as a delegation last week.
Earlier this year when ownership talked about relocating the team, “it was all doom and gloom and people were like, ‘no, we’ve got to save the Clippers,’” Trepanier told the News Bulletin. “And we thought we’d get lots of support and we have, we’re doing OK, but it hasn’t been as big as we’d hoped.”
She said the previous ownership group has now asked the society to work toward a Dec. 1 deadline to complete the sale of the team.
Trepanier said the society will eventually be able to access gaming funds and hold lotteries, but in the meantime, financial support is needed.
“We would also like the City of Nanaimo to consider a possible grant for the first two years of operation, as our monies from gaming will be delayed…” she told city council June 12.
“The Clippers are a thread in the fabric of Nanaimo and we want to stay here and create more winning moments for our community.”
She said the estimated benefit of a BCHL team to a city is $4 million annually, noting that visiting teams stay in hotels, eat at local restaurants and make other purchases on their travels.
Trepanier told the Bulletin she couldn’t get into more specifics about her grant request to the city as the team and city are still in lease negotiations.
City council motioned to receive the Clippers’ delegation.
“I appreciate the fact that you’re working hard to save the Clippers,” said Coun. Jim Kipp.
Coun. Diane Brennan acknowledged the presence of numerous Clippers fans in the gallery at council chambers that night.
“I think it’s obvious that the Clippers have a great deal of meaning for the people in Nanaimo and it’s wonderful to see so many supporters here tonight to urge us forward,” she said.
The new Clippers Hockey Society took another step toward faceoff with the selection of its board directors.
The society held a meeting Tuesday and elected Graham Calder as chairman, Paul Manhas as vice-chairman and Jim Olsen as secretary-treasurer.
sports@nanaimobulletin.com