Members of Oro Minor Hockey and Orillia Minor Hockey are preparing for crucial votes in the coming days to determine whether their organizations will amalgamate.
The proposed reorganization could significantly impact local hockey programming, player opportunities, and the financial structure of both associations.
Orillia Minor Hockey members will vote this Sunday evening at Rotary Place in west Orillia, following a question-and-answer session from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Voting will take place from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Oro Minor Hockey members will cast their votes on Monday evening at the Oro Arena, with a similar Q&A period from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The proposed amalgamation, which would take effect for the 2025-26 hockey season if approved, would combine U10-U18 rep programming into a single association offering AA and A-level tryouts. However, "local league", house league, select, and U9 MD teams would remain within their current organizations.
U11 head coach Wes Winkel says there appears to be a divided sentiment among parents regarding the merger.
“From the people I’ve talked to, conceptually, most people agree with it,” Winkel said. “The concerns seem to be the execution of it because there are a lot of unanswered questions.”
Winkel noted fears the reorganization could reduce opportunities for Orillia-born players and increase costs for families. Some parents are also worried about starting fresh with an association that has no existing financial reserves, as opposed to Orillia Minor Hockey’s currently strong financial position.
One significant issue for members is the potential loss of the Orillia Terriers’ and Oro Thunder names, colours, and logos.
“For one, people don’t want to lose the history,” Winkel said. “But the main reason is a lot of them have hundreds if not thousands of dollars invested into gear. It’s not just the jerseys, it’s the hoodies, the hats, it’s the parents’ and grandparents’ hoodies and hats.”
The amalgamation could also see changes in coaching assignments and team compositions, raising concerns about disrupting long-standing relationships between players and coaches.
“If you have a group of kids who are best friends and have played together for years, splitting them into AA and A teams might feel to them like they are losing time with their friends,” Winkel said.
An information bulletin from the Orillia Minor Hockey Association posted on Facebook this week highlighted the potential benefits of amalgamation, including improved development opportunities, better coaching resources, and stronger teams that keep local players closer to home.
The bulletin acknowledged challenges such as re-branding but noted a new board would accept submissions for a new name and logo for the new organization if the merger proceeds.
Past Orillia Minor Hockey president Cathy O’Connor, a factfinder for the Ontario Minor Hockey Association (OMHA), believes the amalgamation could help both associations adapt to the OMHA’s new “open border” policy, which allows U10 and older players to join teams outside their home centres.
“Smaller centres are trying to amalgamate to keep their players and still be competitive,” O’Connor explained.
While O’Connor supports the principle of a merger, she emphasizes the importance of members attending the meeting on Sunday and making informed decisions.
“I think if people really want to know what’s going on, they need to go ask questions, get the answers, and make an informed decision,” she said.
For the reorganization to proceed, at least two-thirds of voting members in both organizations must vote in favour. If either association fails to meet this threshold, talks cannot resume for at least two years.
Winkel believes most people will vote based on how the amalgamation will impact their family's situation.
“People are afraid of losing their hockey experience,” he said. “There are positives to all of this, but I don’t know if to most parents they outweigh the negatives.”
