Town to study railing safety concerns at The Plex

The lack of safety railings at The Plex in Port Elgin – an “urgent safety issue” according to the Saugeen Shores Winterhawks – will be studied by the Town during upcoming budget talks.

In a letter to the Town, Winterhawks GM Gord Lamont said they believe the lack of a safety railing “greatly increases the possibility of a spectator falling while trying to navigate the staircase, which could have a tragic outcome.”

Town councillors received the letter and referred it to upcoming budget talks, a move that Lamont said me him happy and hopeful.

“It is dangerous – it is unsafe and not just for our fans but for everybody that uses The Plex – something bad could happen,” Lamont said in a Sept. 13 interview.

He said existing railings in what he called the spectator end zones need to be extended to reach the top of the spectator area, and a new railing is needed for the staircase closest to centre ice in the seating area.

Lamont doesn’t know why the safety issue, discussed among arena users and Town staff for several years, has not been fixed.

“I can’t believe that money is a big issue but if its not that, I can’t fathom it – it’s safety and safety trumps everything,” Lamont said, adding he has not witnessed a railing safety issue but had heard of incidents where spectators had trouble going up or down the stairs.

When Town councillors received the Winterhawk’s letter Sept. 11, vice deputy mayor Mike Myatt echoed Lamont’s comments about the cost of safety and said, "Not being able to grab on a railing is dangerous and unsafe,” adding they want to send staff a strong message to listen to the “fair” request.

Myatt suggested sponsored advertising could probably pay for the new railings.

Here is the Winterhhawk’s letter to the Town of Saugeen Shores: Dear Mr. Mayor,

As we get set for another exciting hockey season, I am writing to you at the request of our executive in order to identify and hopefully rectify what we believe is an urgent safety issue at The Plex.

As you may be aware, there is no safety railing for the staircase closest to centre ice in the seating area at The Plex.

The Winterhawks have a number of fans that are seniors or have mobility issues, which includes one of our community’s most beloved citizens. These fans also appreciate being able to sit with a view of centre ice when the Winterhawks are playing.

We believe the lack of a safety railing greatly increases the possibility of a spectator falling while trying to navigate the staircase, which could have a tragic outcome. We are requesting that a safety railing be installed as soon as practical, so that all fans can enjoy the upcoming hockey season from their favourite seat.