BY KEITH LACEY
The phone lines at city hall and at the home of city councillor Ron Dupuis should be ringing repeatedly over the next few days.
More than 200 parents with children and grandchildren involved in Valley East Minor Hockey Association (VEMHA) house league, who are concerned the season may be cancelled, attended a meeting at the Valley East Library Wednesday night.
Parents received a letter recently from the VEMHA executive stating the 17-member board was resigning effective Dec. 30 because the City of Greater Sudbury was reinstating a father banned two years ago from Valley East arenas.
Parents were urged by the executive to apply political pressure by contacting city hall and politicians, even though the Christmas holidays are here.
The father, who attended the meeting but was not identified by name, was banned two years ago for five years from both arenas in the former City of Valley East by town council.
Bob Bellerose, president of VEMHA, started the meeting telling the large gathering the board is adamant it will resign if the ban is lifted and ?this man? is allowed back inside either Valley East arena.
?I talked to the city and they?re not going to change their mind?and we (board) are going to resign as of Dec. 30,? said Bellerose. ?I?m very disgusted with everyone down there (city staff and politicians).?
The vast majority of the parents at the meeting showed support for the board?s stand, although a few called for the board to stay on, at least in the short term, until political pressure can be applied at city hall.
?If you do this and resign because of this guy, then he?s won, that?s the bottom line,? said one parent. ?All of our kids will lose their hockey,? for this season.
Board member Bert Pilon told the parents the ban should remain in place for another two years until the current board?s term expires.
A petition was circulated at the meeting supporting the hockey executive, and several parents said they will organize a rally to bring this issue before city council early in the new year.
Denis Deschamps, another member of the VEMHA executive, said the board won?t be changing its mind because there is genuine fear the banned parent will resort to the same tactics once reinstated.
?The concern is not for ourselves as board members,? said Deschamps. ?It?s for the kids on the ice, the officials on the ice and the parents in the stands. We?re accepting liability if we let this individual into our arenas and I?m not willing to accept that liability.?
The season could be saved if a new board of at least eight members is willing to come forward to finish the season early in the new year.
One woman in the crowd said she?s seen the parent in question act irresponsibly on numerous occasions and didn?t blame the board for taking its strong stand.
?This man didn?t stop harassing people until this action was taken,? she said.
One man insisted the city is reinstating the father because the city obtained a legal opinion they could no longer keep him out of both rinks in Valley East.
At this point, several men said they would be willing to pay for VEMHA to hire a lawyer and challenge the ruling by city officials.
One mother said two of her sons are still traumatized by the actions of the parent in question more than two years after he lost his temper inside their dressing room.
?They saw this incident and they still talk about it to this day,? she said.
Pilon and Deschamps both admitted they should have called police when certain incidents took place.
?But we?re rookies at this,? said Deschamps.
The ban put in place was sufficient at the time and would keep this parent out of both Valley rinks until his son is finished minor hockey, said Pilon.
The board members in attendance said they will be holding meetings on a regular basis over the next 10 days and will keep parents updated on the situation.
The hockey father involved, Mike Trottier, spoke out near the end of the meeting and accused people ?who don?t know me? of condemning him without knowing all the facts.
Trottier told Northern Life he?s paid for his indiscretions and should be allowed back inside both rinks in Valley East.
?I was told by the city I can?t be kicked out any longer,? said Trottier.
Trottier admits he?s lost his temper at times yelling at officials, but denies ever physically challenging, threatening or intimidating any parent or coach.
?I yell at the refs when they make a bad call just like everyone else, but I?ve never threatened anyone,? he said. ?There are a lot of allegations out there, but none has ever been proven.?
Trottier said he has coached minor hockey for more than 20 years in Chelmsford and never got into any kind of trouble.
Trottier said his troubles began two years ago when he attended a tournament and saw parents, including some members of the VEMHA board, drinking.
?I told people there shouldn?t be alcohol being served when there are so many kids around?I reported the incident to the Canadian Hockey Association and since then the board?s been out to get me.?
Trottier said he?s seriously considering filing a lawsuit against the VEMHA because of the allegations made against him.
Trottier said he keeps clippings of what has happened to other parents in minor hockey disputes and has never heard of such a severe penalty being imposed against anyone else.
?I just want to be able to watch my son play hockey again,? he said. ?Some people just don?t like me and why should the board be punishing all of these kids because of one parent. To me that?s selfish.?
Trottier promised to ?sit in my little corner? when he does go back inside the arenas once the ban against him has been lifted.
?I want the kids to be able to play, but I just want to be let back in so I can watch my son play hockey,? he said.
Caroline Hallsworth, general manager of Citizen and Leisure Services with the City of Greater Sudbury, told Northern Life no one from city hall will be commenting on this issue because it?s a legal matter.
