By James Matthews, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Minden’s SG Nesbitt Memorial Arena will have a bird’s eye view of inside-the-crease action during Haliburton County Huskies hockey games.
Candace McGuigan, the township’s parks, recreation, and facilities manager, said during council’s regular meeting Nov. 9 that the bench boss of the local Ontario Junior Hockey League contingent would like to install goal review cameras in the rafters at the arena.
In a letter to municipal staff, Ryan Ramsay, the town’s head coach and general manager, said the goal review cameras will be installed in the rafters above each net.
Footage from the cameras will be accessible by two tablets during Huskies games, one on the Haliburton Huskies bench and the second tablet in the timekeepers’ box for referees to review.
The league mandates any team playing within the OJHL have video goal review cameras installed from the rafters at both goal nets above the playing ice surface.
Tablets will be password locked and locked in the Huskies’ general manager’s office after games. The cameras will be shut off after games.
McGuigan said the team will cover the cost of the cameras and take care of their installation.
Further, she said, the township will be named as additionally insured in contractors’ $5-million insurance policy.
As the goal review system will not be used for public surveillance, the Township of Minden Hills Video Surveillance policy will not come into effect.
“But the township would need to have the right to review the camera and the footage at any time to confirm that the cameras are being shut off and they’re only being used to the intended purpose of goal review during game time,” McGuigan said.
She said the team’s contractors will have to work around any scheduled events at the arena to install the cameras.
“So there’s isn’t any concerns from the Community Services Department team (about) installation,” she said.